German slow train
If you throw the word train into any conversation, you can be sure that almost everyone has something to contribute.
Very few stories will be saturated with moments of happiness.
The railway is currently a symbol of everything that is not going well in this country.
“It cannot stay the way it is,” said Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) when he presented his “key points on the future of the DB and rail” in June 2022.
He announced what his predecessors had missed and delayed for decades: a comprehensive general renovation.
By 2030, 750 kilometers of route are to be renovated every year, and there will be a total of 40 projects.
This year, the route between Frankfurt and Mannheim will first be completely overhauled, followed by the Hamburg – Berlin route.
The result: total route closures, diversions, even more delays.
The goal: The train should run on time in 80 percent of all cases by 2030.
The massive renovation will not bring Wissing much applause; others will reap its benefits.
In this respect, Wissing's decision deserves great respect.
What is even more annoying is that despite the effort, the hoped-for goals may not even be achieved.
My colleague Serafin Reiber read an internal railway presentation.
Accordingly, the railway predicts a punctuality rate of 74.5 percent for 2028.
So within two years it would have to gain 5.5 percentage points.
But the railway is already lagging behind its own schedule.
In 2023, only 64 percent of all trains were on time, not 67 as hoped.
In addition, other factors such as more traffic or the obsolescence of systems will further reduce the punctuality rate, as can be seen from the paper.
“It’s a zero-sum game, at best,” writes my colleague.
In other words: Things might not get much better; for a real improvement, Wissing would have to invest a lot more money - and install more effective management.
The dramas about the train will probably enrich every chat for a long time.
Why the railway will probably not be on time in the future despite many billions
The Union of Values and its values
When representatives of the Union of Values meet in Erfurt today to discuss “steps towards founding a party,” one or the other in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus, the party headquarters of the CDU, is likely to keep their fingers crossed: Should there be a vote in favor of founding the party the Union would be rid of a medium-sized problem.
Your party members, who also feel like they belong to the union of values, would then have to decide who they want to belong to in the future.
If the party is not founded, CDU Friedrich Merz plans to pass a so-called incompatibility resolution at the next party conference.
As a member of the CDU, you would no longer be able to belong to the union of values in the future.
Because this group led by chairman Hans-Georg Maaßen, once president of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, is clearly too right-wing, even for a Union that has become more conservative again under Merz.
It is difficult to say how powerful and influential the Union of Values is because there is no verifiable information about the number of its members.
According to its own information, it has around 4,000 members, a large number of which are said to have a CDU or CSU party register.
The group recently caused a stir because two of its members were at a meeting in Potsdam last November, which was also attended by right-wing extremist activists and AfD politicians.
The CDU is currently examining party exclusion proceedings against the two.
One can assume that they would be very welcome in Erfurt today - perhaps they even are.
Given the process, one wonders exactly what values the Union of Values is actually about.
Right-wing association: Why the CDU is now hoping to found the “Union of Values” party
Protesting farmers – and farmers
If a gender asterisk (farmers) appears in an invitation letter to a farmers' demonstration, one can assume that the invitation did not come from Joachim Rukwied, the rather robustly conservative President of the German Farmers' Association.
So today, if you can generalize like that, farmers who are more on the left are gathering to demonstrate “together and democratically for farms and the climate, against genetic engineering and patents,” as stated in the invitation from the alliance “We’re fed up!” is called.
The occasion is the Green Week in Berlin, to which the 1,400 exhibitors from the food industry are expecting more than 300,000 visitors.
There will be a lot of food, animals that you can pet, a lot of information, campaigns and advertising, like at every trade fair.
And because the traffic light was not particularly impressed by the farmers' loud protests in the last few days, the discounts on agricultural diesel will be gradually reduced as planned.
Reason enough for some farmers to continue protests against the government.
That's why not only the "We're fed up" farmers are demonstrating today, the alliance of the (rather left-wing) Free Farmers is also announcing a protest: They want to circle the exhibition grounds with tractors - and are offering rides.
Maybe Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir would like to take a little joyride.
Farmer protests and innovative ideas: How fair prices for farmers can become a reality
Click here for the current daily quiz
Today's starting question: What is the name of the capital of Georgia?
Winner of the day...
... for me - as in yesterday morning - are the people who are currently taking to the streets for democracy.
Yesterday there were so many people in Hamburg that the event had to be canceled for security reasons.
Today's number of protests against right-wing extremism will far exceed yesterday's, with demonstrations taking place in cities large and small.
You can find an overview here: Where there will be demonstrations against right-wing extremism this weekend.
The exciting question is how long the protests will last – and what will follow from them.
Are there ideas emerging as to how democratic parties can become more attractive again for those who would currently vote for the AfD?
How can politicians gain more trust from citizens?
Which initiatives have brought about constructive change in the past, so where is there tangible progress in a democratic sense - and what can we learn from it?
It is possible that a broad movement will emerge from the sea of protest that will strive to make democracy modern and exciting - and thus reduce the attractiveness of enemies of the constitution, racists and populists.
It's an exciting moment.
Secret connections: The ultra-right guys from the AfD and CDU
The latest reports from the night
Biden believes a two-state solution is possible even under Netanyahu:
Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken out against a two-state solution.
US President Joe Biden is sticking to it despite the Israeli Prime Minister's concerns - and, in his own words, believes in a solution.
Russian group hacks Microsoft:
The US software company Microsoft has fallen victim to a cyber attack.
According to the company, hackers with connections to the Russian government were able to read emails from high-ranking employees, among other things.
A parcel delivery company's AI chatbot swears during customer conversations:
DPD's online support chatbot responded to a customer with swear words due to a system error.
The AI-powered bot also wrote a spiteful poem about his employer at the man's request.
The SPIEGEL+ recommendations for today
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“The patriarchy cannot be dismantled with just five reports”:
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From your perspective, what use are reports about high-profile cases of abuse of power?
And why are there so few allegations against abusive women?
"You don't have to let yourself be pumped full of poison," the nurse advised:
When my wife got cancer, we were given advice about alternative healing methods.
In which cases they can be fatal – and when complementary procedures make sense.
How do you copy Balenciaga?:
The series “Cristóbal Balenciaga” tells the life of the legendary fashion designer.
Of course, clothes play a major role.
Here the costume designer talks about the challenges of re-cutting the masterpieces.
I wish you a relaxing (that's what it has to be) weekend!
Yours, Martin Knobbe, head of the SPIEGEL capital office