More than 23 million people tuned in for World Cup victory on Sunday

Germany’s working-age population will be reduced by more than four million people by 2036, A new study has revealed.

The report from the Institute for the German Economy (IW) in Cologne shows that the decline is due to retirements, low birth rates and migration policies aimed at discouraging foreign workers from moving into the country.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition has made immigration one of its goals to reduce support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has become Germany’s most supported party according to recent opinion polls, overtaking Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU).

According to IW’s Holger Schaefer, Germany is already in the midst of a “demographic transition”. He said that the German economy would lack the number of workers needed to generate prosperity and maintain the welfare state.

His recommendations? People should be encouraged to work more and, at the same time, it should be made easier for qualified workers to move to Germany from abroad.

Germany is good at developing cutting edge technology. But how could this stop creative startups behind quantum computers, nuclear fusion or other breakthrough technologies from leaving the country and moving to the US?

The head of the senior organization of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party said the future of the current government will be decided by its pension reforms.

Hubert Huppe said, “Pension reforms will determine the fate of this coalition, I’m sure of it.” rhenish post.

According to Huppe, reforms should mean everyone plays a role, not just Germany’s senior residents.

“This is possible only if everyone is included in social reforms, including pensions and other pension schemes for civil servants,” Huppe said.

Reform of Germany’s pension system is making headlines across the country, with Chancellor Merz and her party trying to push through money-saving changes to the country’s existing system, drawing criticism from trade unions and labor unions.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier lands in Jakarta for an official visit to Indonesia.

Steinmeier was welcomed by President Prabowo Subianto and several ministers, who reportedly sang traditional Indonesian songs in honor of their guest, with the German delegation singing in German.

Indonesia is the most populous democracy in Southeast Asia, with a population of approximately 280 million people. It is also the largest Muslim country in the world.

Following his visit, Steinmeier will visit the Philippines and Uzbekistan.

The Germany national team got the 2026 World Cup off to a great start with a 7-1 win over Curacao. The success was also reflected in viewership at home.

Approximately 23.5 million people tuned in to public broadcaster ARD to watch the game, giving it a market share of 70.2%. The rating form AGF Videoforschung said.

The match was also broadcast via live stream on Deutsche Telekom’s TV platform Magenta TV, but the company does not provide any viewing figures for its streaming service.

The viewership numbers represent a huge difference compared to Germany’s opening game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was watched by around 9 million people, with Julian Nagelsmann’s team attracting around 22 million viewers for their first Euro 2024 game, also held in Germany.

The opening match of the World Cup between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa reached almost 10 million viewers in Germany, providing evidence of high interest in the entire tournament.

Welcome to another daily blog covering all the latest in Germany from DW’s Bonn newsroom!

We take a look at the reactions to Germany’s emphatic 7-1 win over Curaçao at the World Cup.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has arrived in Indonesia and we will keep an eye on all the updates on his visit.

The trial of an 18-year-old suspected Islamist begins after an attack in the city of Essen.