Germany news: Merz calls for unity at CSU party conference

• Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed the Bavarian CSU party conference
• The 2-day conference comes as Merz's coalition of the CDU, CSU and SPD faces a high degree of dissatisfaction
• A fire has largely destroyed the mountain retreat formerly used by Hitler, known as Eagle's Nest.

Read below for a roundup of stories making news in Germany for the weekend of October 24-25.

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Skip next section Merz confident electricity tax can be lowered

October 24, 2026

Merz confident electricity tax can be lowered

Chancellor Friedrich Merz gave an indication that the electricity tax could be lowered next year.

"If it’s possible — and I think it is — then the electricity tax must be lowered next year," Merz said Saturday at the CSU party convention in Munich.

His coalition partners have already agreed to lower the electricity tax for everyone to the European minimum as quickly as possible.

To date, the federal government has only approved reductions for industry, agriculture, and forestry and Germany's Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) has said there is not much wiggle room, despite forecasts of higher tax revenues.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Ocf0

Skip next section Merz calls for CDU and CSU to 'stand together'

October 24, 2026

Merz calls for CDU and CSU to 'stand together'

Federal chancellor and CDU leader Friedrich Merz called on the CDU its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, to show maximum unity.

"The CDU and CSU must stand together more closely than ever," Merz said at the close of the CSU's party convention in Munich.

He said the Union is being attacked by "extremists" from the political fringes and said that the Union does not want to — and will not leave Germany in the hands of these forces.

Merz emphasized his relationship with CSU leader Markus Söder, saying that he was "the strong voice" for the CSU in Bavaria, but also at the federal level.

"We are united by a deep-seated sense of responsibility for our country," Merz said, adding that it was a shared responsibility.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Ocd5

Skip next section WATCH: Germany holds Ukrainian on suspicion of spying for Russia

October 24, 2026

WATCH: Germany holds Ukrainian on suspicion of spying for Russia

German police have arrested a Ukrainian man accused of spying for a Russian intelligence service with a focus on "militarily relevant information," federal prosecutors said. DW's correspondent reports.

Germany holds Ukrainian on suspicion of spying for Russia

https://p.dw.com/p/5OcVz

Skip next section Merz set to address Bavarian conservatives as party conference wraps up

October 24, 2026

Merz set to address Bavarian conservatives as party conference wraps up

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to make an address at the Munich Exhibition Halls as the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) closes its two-day party conference.

Merz's speech comes at a turbulent time for the CDU/CSU alliance and expectations among delegates for the speech by the leader of the conservative bloc are mixed. 

The CSU is the Bavarian sister party of Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and there remain a number of key issues that have many in the CSU concerned over the future of the party at a national level.

A point of contention is who from the conservative bloc will succeed outgoing President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with there being no clarity as yet from Merz or CSU leader Markus Söder, as to who their candidate would be.

Coupled with that leadership question, there is discontent over the pace of implementation of reforms of Germany's retirement, nursing care and health insurance systems.

There is also concern over a strategy to deal with the rise of the far-right in the form of the Alternative for Germany party (AfD).

https://p.dw.com/p/5OcT1

Skip next section Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat catches fire, police say

October 24, 2026

Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat catches fire, police say

A fire broke out on Friday evening at the Kehlsteinhaus in Bavaria more commonly known as the Eagle's Nest and used as a retreat by Adolf Hitler and Nazi officials.

The Kehlsteinhaus was engulfed in flames, a police statement read, adding that a suspect has been arrested and the incident was being criminally investigated.

Read more about that here. 

https://p.dw.com/p/5OcVn

Skip next section Welcome to our coverage

October 24, 2026

Welcome to our coverage

Guten Morgen  from a chilly newsroom here in Bonn.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to address his CDU's Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) as their 2-day party conference wraps up in Munich.

The coalition government that Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the CSU belong to along with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) is facing a number of challenges.

There has been speculation over the political future of Merz's coalition, consiting of CDU, the CSU and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), folllowing a string of electoral setbacks and policy issues.

And then overnight, a fire has ripped through the one-time retreat in the Bavarian Alps, built for Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Stay tuned for the latest on these stories and more from Germany this weekend.