Macron and Merz lead bilateral cabinet talks

Federal prosecutors are seeking a four-year prison sentence for an alleged supporter of Germany’s far-right National Socialist Underground terrorist group.

Prosecutors asked the higher regional court in Dresden on Friday to convict the defendant, Suzanne E., 45, of supporting a terrorist organization and assisting in aggravated extortion, a court spokesman said.

According to the prosecution, E. repeatedly allowed convicted NSU member Beat Zschap to use his identity while Zschap was living underground in Zwickau in the eastern state of Saxony.

She allegedly gave Zschap her health insurance card for medical appointments and helped rent the motorhome used by NSU during his final robbery.

The defendant is married to Andre E., who was convicted of supporting the NSU during the main trial in Munich.

The court is expected to announce its verdict on Friday morning.

The NSU carried out 10 murders, two bomb attacks and more than a dozen robberies between 1998 and 2011.

Members Uwe Bohnhardt and Uwe Mundlos committed suicide in November 2011 as they were captured by police after a bank robbery in Eisenach.

Zschäpe later sent letters revealing the existence of the NSU, taking responsibility for the group’s crimes.

A Munich court sentenced him to life in prison in 2018 and found that his crime was particularly serious, reducing the chances of early release.

France and Germany are preparing to deepen cooperation on European security, defense and economic policy as ministers from the two countries meet in western Germany.

French President Emmanuel Macron said late Thursday that Paris and Berlin want to accelerate Europe’s strategic renewal and work together on major international issues.

“I am confident that I can say that in recent months a genuine Franco-German rapprochement has also come on the European agenda,” Macron said ahead of a government gathering in the Rhineland.

The talks also come after tensions over joint defense projects, particularly the troubled Future Combat Air System fighter jet programme.

The project was once seen as a prime example of European defense cooperation, but it became mired in disputes between French and German industry over control, technology and division of work.

Merz welcomed Macron to the Bensberg Palace near the western city of Cologne on Thursday evening for talks ahead of Friday’s meetings.

The two leaders held discussions with a broader group before meeting privately over dinner.

Friday’s event begins with a meeting of the Franco-German Defense and Security Council at Norwich Air Base.

Extensive cabinet talks will take place later at Schloss Augustusberg, a castle in the town of Brühl, south of Cologne.

good day From the DW newsroom in Bonn on the banks of the Rhine river, which is certainly looking thirsty after a summer of too much sunshine and too little rain.

Not far away, in the small town of Brühl, France and Germany are trying to inject new energy into their relations.

Before the comprehensive meeting of the cabinets of both the countries, ministers of different governments are holding focused talks with their counterparts.

Defense and security talks are also taking place at nearby Norvenich Air Base.

Stay tuned here for the stories Germany is talking about.