Germany edition

Wulff

The following articles have been tagged with "Wulff":

Wulff case 'a chance to open up German politics'

Politics: 7 Feb 12
As President Christian Wulff remains mired in allegations of impropriety, anti-corruption group Transparency International (TI) has called for politicians to use the case as a chance to open up German politics. READ »

Wulff under fire over car lease deal

Politics: 5 Feb 12
German President Christian Wulff faced fresh allegations at the weekend over his conduct in office, with a new report claiming he leased a car from the VW Group for a special discount. READ »

Most Germans want president to resign

Politics: 3 Feb 12
Most Germans now want President Christian Wulff to resign, as the flow of allegations over his behaviour and investigations into his relationships with businesses continues to damage his credibility. READ »

Wulff faces new claims of improprieties

Politics: 1 Feb 12
German President Christian Wulff's office was aware of alleged improprieties by his former spokesman as early as 2010, a magazine reported on Wednesday as pressure increased on the embattled head of state. READ »

Corruption cops raid presidential office

National: 29 Jan 12
Police raided the Office of the Federal President late last week, it was confirmed on Sunday, as they continue to investigate President Christian Wulff’s former spokesman and advisor for corruption. READ »

President 'can be called liar', loses public favour

Politics: 28 Jan 12
President Christian Wulff can be called a liar, a state prosecutor has ruled, dismissing complaints about a Green politician doing so. Wulff’s backing among the public is dwindling despite support from Chancellor Angela Merkel. READ »

Frederick the Great celebrations kick off

Society: 24 Jan 12
Germans marked the 300th birthday of Prussian king Frederick the Great’s on Tuesday. His admirers visited his grave in Potsdam to lay flowers and potatoes in honour of the enlightened monarch. READ »

Wulff's ex-spokesman faces fresh allegations

National: 21 Jan 12
The former spokesman for embattled German President Christian Wulff has been hit with new accusations over alleged perks from an event manager. A new report claims Olaf Glaeseker was treated to free flights during his time as spokesman. READ »

Police raid president's ex-advisor's house

Politics: 19 Jan 12
Police have raided the home of President Christian Wulff’s former spokesman Olaf Glaeseker as well as the offices of an event manager who was closely connected to the president when he was state premier of Lower Saxony. READ »

Fresh revelations hit beleaguered president

National: 15 Jan 12
Further revelations appeared about beleaguered President Christian Wulff this weekend, with Der Spiegel reporting that a film producer treated him to a hotel upgrade during Oktoberfest. READ »

Wulff silent as calls to resign multiply

National: 12 Jan 12
President Christian Wulff hosted what was reportedly a tense New Year’s reception on Thursday, as the first open calls for his resignation came from members of parliament in his own political party. READ »

'We need a real leader - like Willy Brandt'

Analysis & Opinion: 12 Jan 12
As politicians pile pressure on embattled President Wulff, The Local hit the streets to see what normal Berliners have to say about their head of state, for the latest edition in the Zeitgeist series. READ »

Pressure on Wulff now from own party

Politics: 11 Jan 12
Embattled President Christian Wulff’s woes are continuing, with party colleagues piling on the pressure about his lack of transparency and open discussions being held about who could replace him. READ »

Merkel sticks by embattled president

Politics: 9 Jan 12
Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she was not considering who might replace embattled President Christian Wulff, despite public offers from opposition politicians to work together to find a non-partisan successor. READ »

Ex-Chancellor Schröder's wife enters politics

Politics: 9 Jan 12
The wife of former Chancellor Gehard Schröder will enter politics in her own right, it was reported on Monday – she intends to run for a seat in the Lower Saxony state parliament in the 2013 state election. READ »

Merkel under pressure in president scandal

Politics: 8 Jan 12
Germany's main opposition party increased its pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel over President Christian Wulff, saying his scandal was hers and calling for new elections if he were to step down. READ »

Merkel backs embattled President Wulff

National: 6 Jan 12
After several weeks of silence during her annual winter break, Chancellor Angela Merkel has come out in support of embattled German President Christian Wulff. READ »

President in crisis as poll numbers tank

Politics: 5 Jan 12
With his poll numbers sinking, German President Christian Wulff came under renewed pressure Thursday following a televised mea culpa in response to his exploding financial scandal. READ »

President Wulff clings on

Politics: 4 Jan 12
Embattled German President Christian Wulff said Wednesday he wanted to stay in office despite a mounting series of scandals that Chancellor Angela Merkel asked him to clear up. READ »

President to face TV grilling on loan scandal

Politics: 4 Jan 12
German President Christian Wulff said Wednesday he will submit to a TV interview on the spiralling loan scandal threatening to engulf him. The interview will be aired the same evening. READ »

President 'used threats to try to stop scandal story'

Politics: 2 Jan 12
Embattled German President Christian Wulff has been accused of trying to block the first reports of his financial affairs by threatening criminal charges against journalists working on the story – leaving a furious rant on an answering machine. READ »

Most Germans don't want president to resign

National: 26 Dec 11
Most Germans do not want President Christian Wulff to resign despite the continuing scandal over his business dealings, although roughly half have lost confidence in the head of state, according to a new poll. READ »

President avoids scandal in Christmas speech

National: 24 Dec 11
In his annual Christmas address, to be aired Sunday evening, German President Christian Wulff did not mention the loan scandal that has dogged him throughout December, instead highlighting racism and political extremism. READ »

‘The right speech at the wrong time’

Politics: 23 Dec 11
German President Christian Wulff gave a public apology Thursday for the personal finance scandal that has hounded him. But as The Local’s media roundup finds, most pundits think the speech was too little too late. READ »

Wulff apologises for personal finance faux pas

Politics: 22 Dec 11
Hoping to stem questions of impropriety, German President Christian Wulff on Thursday fired his long-time spokesman and apologised for not being open about his personal finances. READ »

Wulff faces increasing attacks from all sides

Politics: 18 Dec 11
President Christian Wulff is coming under increased attacks from across the political spectrum, as politicians feel Germany's head of state has not fully explained a 2008 loan he received while serving as premier of Lower Saxony. READ »

South Park takes aim at 'humourless' Germans

Society: 16 Dec 11
Germans should brace themselves for some crass jokes at their expense this weekend, when an episode of the US cartoon 'South Park' mocking their sense of humour is broadcast for the first time in Germany. READ »

President Wulff 'regrets' omitting private loan

Politics: 15 Dec 11
German President Christian Wulff has expressed “regret” for neglecting to mention a 2008 loan he received from a businessman’s wife in a statement to the Lower Saxony state parliament last year. READ »

German president grilled over private loan

Politics: 13 Dec 11
German President Christian Wulff is facing questions over a private loan of €500,000 he received in February 2010, during his time as state premier of Lower Saxony. He is accused of deceiving the state parliament about it. READ »

Germans want neo-Nazi NPD party banned

Politics: 25 Nov 11
Three-quarters of Germans want the neo-Nazi NPD party banned, a poll showed on Friday, after the discovery of an extreme far-right cell believed to have murdered 10 people, mainly Turkish shopkeepers. READ »

Central memorial agreed for neo-Nazi victims

Politics: 20 Nov 11
Germany will hold a memorial service for the victims of a neo-Nazi murder spree, while a minister has vowed to compensate their families. A new survey shows most Germans want to ban the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD). READ »

Neo-Nazi killings, apathy shock German minorities

National: 17 Nov 11
Revelations a neo-Nazi gang was able to commit racist murders unhindered for a decade – and Germany’s seeming indifference to the crimes – has shaken the country’s minority communities. Moises Mendoza reports. READ »

Neo-Nazi terrorists compiled target list

National: 16 Nov 11
A neo-Nazi terror group responsible for 10 murders was apparently planning political assassinations. President Wulff announced he will meet with the victims’ relatives amid growing concerns about damage to Germany’s reputation abroad. READ »

Erdogan criticizes German attitude to Turks

National: 2 Nov 11
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Germany’s attitude to its Turkish minority on his arrival in Berlin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a "guest worker" agreement between the two countries. READ »

Three honoured with top environmental prize

Science & Technology: 31 Oct 11
A father and son team which invented a low-emission combustion technology and the founder of a environmentally friendly office supplies firm are sharing Europe’s most lucrative prize for environmental innovation. READ »

Pakistan spied on Germans in Afghanistan

National: 31 Oct 11
Pakistan’s intelligence agency reportedly spied on German police officers working in Afghanistan, raising questions whether Pakistan is passing information on to the insurgent Taliban about security forces’ operations. READ »

Wulff makes surprise trip to Afghanistan

National: 16 Oct 11
German President Christian Wulff vowed Sunday that Germany would continue to support Afghanistan after the troops have left, as he made a surprise trip to Kabul for talks with President Hamid Karzai. READ »

German gets medal for saving dozens during Oslo massacre

National: 4 Oct 11
A German man who saved at least 30 people during the massacre in Norway has been awarded one of Germany’s highest honours by the President. READ »

Alleged Islamists released, no threat found

National: 3 Oct 11
German authorities released four alleged Islamists on Sunday, the day after police arrested them on suspicion of illegally obtaining weapons ahead of a major reunification ceremony in Bonn. READ »

Bonn focus for Unity Day and NRW celebrations

National: 2 Oct 11
A three-day festival in Bonn this weekend and Monday marks not only the October 3 Day of German Unity, but also the 65th anniversary of the founding of North Rhine-Westphalia. READ »

Pope's final message - go back to basics

National: 25 Sep 11
Pope Benedict XVI ended his first state visit to Germany on Sunday evening with a call for the Catholic Church to go back to basics. READ »

Catholics demand reform ahead of pope visit

Society: 21 Sep 11
Pope Benedict XVI faces a clamour for change as he heads to Germany on Thursday for his first state visit, with calls for reform on many fronts – from recognising gays to ordaining women to the priesthood. READ »

Germany commemorates victims of 9/11 attacks

National: 11 Sep 11
German President Christian Wulff commemorated the victims of September 11, 2001 at an ecumenical service in Berlin, the first of a series of events to mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks. READ »

Wulff attacks ECB for bond purchases

Politics: 24 Aug 11
German President Christian Wulff criticised measures taken by the European Central Bank to beat back a debt crisis in the eurozone, saying on Wednesday it was "asking for trouble" by buying government bonds. READ »

Berlin remembers building of the Wall

National: 13 Aug 11
Germany marks on Saturday the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Wall going up with solemn ceremonies across the city and the opening of an expanded memorial for its victims. READ »

Germany sends condolences to Oslo

National: 23 Jul 11
Germany's political leaders were united in dismay and grief following the two attacks in Norway that led to over 90 deaths. President Christian Wulff sent a telegram of sympathy to his counterpart King Harald. READ »

Munich bid for 2018 Winter Olympics fails

Sport: 6 Jul 11
Munich will not host of the 2018 Winter Olympics, with games officials announcing Wednesday that the South Korean city of Pyeongchang's bid had been successful. READ »

Germany’s humble strength

Analysis & Opinion: 5 Jul 11
Germany was once a strong yet evil country. Then it was weak but good. Today it's both strong and good, making the innate caution of its leaders more important than ever, argues Malte Lehming from Der Tagesspiegel. READ »

Merkel pressing Olympic bid with letter, Africa visit

Sport: 1 Jul 11
German chancellor Angela Merkel has written a personal letter urging International Olympic Committee (IOC) members to award the 2018 Winter Olympics to Munich. READ »

Germans want Wulff to show sharper teeth

Politics: 19 Jun 11
The majority of Germans want President Christian Wulff, who celebrated his 52nd birthday on Sunday, to weigh in on political issues more outspokenly, a new survey revealed. READ »

Former church leader criticizes German arms industry

National: 2 Jun 11
Margot Käßmann, former head of the German Protestant church, used her speech at an annual Christian convention on Thursday to question the morality of Germany's arms industry. President Christian Wulff was part of the audience. READ »

Lena faces uphill battle to defend Eurovision title

Lifestyle: 9 May 11
As Düsseldorf prepares to host this year's Eurovision Song Contest this week, Germany's teen singing sensation Lena Meyer-Landrut is hoping to defend her title. But few are expecting her to cruise to victory this time. READ »

Wulff cancels ThyssenKrupp trip after hearing of job losses

Politics: 7 May 11
German President Christian Wulff cancelled a visit to the new ThyssenKrupp steel works in Rio de Janeiro on Friday evening after hearing about the company’s restructuring programme which will mean the loss of 35,000 jobs. READ »

Wulff condemns Mexican drug violence

Politics: 3 May 11
President Christian Wulff has spoken out during a visit to Mexico against the appalling drug-related violence gripping the North American country. READ »

President Wulff pelted with eggs

Politics: 14 Apr 11
German President Christian Wulff shrugged off an egg attack by a lone assailant Thursday, saying it was the price of having the common touch. READ »

Pope's plans for September trip to Germany finalized

National: 12 Apr 11
The plans for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Germany from September 22 to 25 have been finalized with the pope’s stamp of approval, the German Bishops’ Conference said Tuesday in Bonn. READ »

Dutch Queen Beatrix visits Berlin

National: 12 Apr 11
Dutch Queen Beatrix visits Germany on Tuesday for a four-day tour that includes meetings with Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff. READ »

Victims of deadly crash from 7 German states

National: 9 Apr 11
A mass autobahn crash following a freak sandstorm south of Rostock involved people from at least seven different states in Germany, officials said on Saturday. At least eight people were killed and more than 130 injured. READ »

Neo-Nazis infest tiny village of Jamel

Society: 5 Apr 11
Cries of “Sieg Heil” in the street, neo-Nazi rallies, far-right slogans on walls: welcome to Jamel, a tiny northeast German village locals say has been annexed by Nazi sympathizers. READ »

Berlin pledges support to devastated Japan

National: 11 Mar 11
Germany pledged its support to Japan on Friday after the island nation suffered a devastating earthquake followed by a tsunami that left hundreds dead and missing. READ »

Guttenberg resigns

Politics: 1 Mar 11
Embattled German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg resigned on Tuesday amid intense political pressure following revelations he plagiarized large parts of his doctoral thesis. READ »

President Wulff slams German policy toward Arab despots

Politics: 1 Mar 11
German President Christian Wulff has sharply criticized Germany's past dealings with some Arab regimes, saying the country had been much too accommodating to authoritarian, corrupt governments. READ »

William and Kate snub German nobles on wedding invitations

Society: 21 Feb 11
Though many are closely connected to the British throne, most of Germany’s aristocratic houses have not been invited to the upcoming royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. READ »

'Germans are fixated on earning titles'

Society: 17 Feb 11
Accusations Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg plagiarized his doctoral thesis highlights Germany's unhealthy obsession with academic titles, anti-cheating expert Prof. Debora Weber-Wulff told The Local. READ »

2010: The year in review

National: 29 Dec 10
As 2011 prepares to kick off, The Local takes a look back at some of the stories that caught our attention during the past year in Germany. READ »

Wulff calls for tolerance in Christmas speech

National: 25 Dec 10
German President Christian Wulff used his first Christmas speech to call for "solidarity and understanding" in German society. He also eschewed tradition by hosting 190 model citizens at the recording. READ »

Wulff marks Brandt's Warsaw ghetto tribute

Politics: 7 Dec 10
German President Christian Wulff on Tuesday honoured Jews who fought and died in the 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising against the Nazis, 40 years after a landmark tribute by his nation's chancellor Willy Brandt. READ »

President Wulff becomes honorary godfather to neo-Nazi baby

National: 2 Dec 10
According to tradition, Germany's president becomes the honorary godfather for each family’s seventh baby. But President Christian Wulff's decision to sponsor the spawn of alleged neo-Nazis has sparked outrage. READ »

Wulff demands peace engagement from Israel

Politics: 30 Nov 10
German President Christian Wulff demanded during a visit to Israel on Monday night that the Jewish state show “constructive engagement” on peace negotiations with its Palestinian neighbours. READ »

President Wulff makes first trip to Israel

National: 28 Nov 10
Christian Wulff, Germany's first head of state to be born after World War II, arrived on Saturday on his first official visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, the German embassy in Tel Aviv said. READ »

Cancer spikes around Asse nuke dump

Politics: 26 Nov 10
In the wake of reports that the community around the Asse atomic waste dump in Lower Saxony has suffered a rise in cancer cases, authorities insisted Friday the illnesses were not caused by nuclear contamination. READ »

Pope Benedict to visit Germany in 2011

Society: 19 Nov 10
Pope Benedict XVI is to make an official state visit to his native Germany in late 2011, probably in September, the German Bishops' Conference said Friday. READ »

'Wetlands' author offers sex to president for nuclear extension veto

National: 15 Nov 10
German writer Charlotte Roche offered in an interview Sunday to spend the night with President Christian Wulff if he votes against government plans to extend the lifetime of Germany's nuclear reactors. READ »

First woman rabbi since WWII ordained

Society: 4 Nov 10
Germany’s first woman rabbi since World War II was ordained on Thursday in Berlin, marking another milestone in the resurgence of Jewish life in the country that perpetrated the Holocaust. READ »

Anti-Islam praise from Wilders provokes Merkel

Politics: 27 Oct 10
The Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders on Wednesday angered German Chancellor Angela Merkel by provocatively praising her recent attack on multiculturalism. READ »

Chilean leader apologises for 'Deutschland über alles' remark

Politics: 26 Oct 10
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Monday apologized after using a phrase during a recent visit to Germany that he said he was unaware was linked to its "dark" Nazi past. READ »

Wulff wins praise for bridge-building speech

Politics: 20 Oct 10
President Christian Wulff has won praise from Turkish leaders and German politicians for his speech about integration, while Education Minister Annette Schavan broke ranks and called for more optimism on the issue. READ »

Wulff urges Turkey to respect Christians

Politics: 19 Oct 10
German President Christian Wulff on Tuesday urged Turkey to respect the religious freedoms of Christian minorities and offered a conciliatory message to Turks living in Germany. READ »

Wulff condemns ‘blanket judgement’ of Turks

Politics: 19 Oct 10
President Christian Wulff on Tuesday attempted to tone down Germany's simmering integration debate, slamming “blanket judgement” of Turkish immigrants at the start of his state visit to Turkey. READ »

Wulff visits Turkey as integration row simmers

Politics: 18 Oct 10
German President Christian Wulff flew to Turkey Monday for a four-day visit amid a heated debate in his country over the integration of Muslim immigrants, many of them Turkish. READ »

Merkel joins Seehofer to bury multiculturalism

Politics: 17 Oct 10
Chancellor Angela Merkel positioned herself closely to controversial Bavarian state premier Horst Seehofer at the weekend, saying the concept of multiculturalism had failed utterly. READ »

The new anti-Semitism

Analysis & Opinion: 15 Oct 10
Having seen the disastrous consequences of virulent anti-Semitism firsthand, Germany must lead the fight against Europe’s rising intolerance towards Muslims, writes The Local’s Marc Young. READ »

Earthworm salad served at Kremlin dinner for President Wulff

Society: 14 Oct 10
Russian officials have been left red-faced after a salad containing a live earthworm was served at a dinner in honour of German President Christian Wulff, media reported Thursday. READ »

Fear of an Islamic Fatherland

Analysis & Opinion: 7 Oct 10
The current debate about Islam’s place in German society is often skewed by a perverse interpretation of the religion that most average Muslim citizens do not recognize, writes Thomas Seibert from Der Tagesspiegel. READ »

SPD, Greens demand equality for Islam

Politics: 7 Oct 10
Leading members of the opposition Social Democrats and Greens called on Thursday for Islam to be recognised by the state as a religious community, similar to Christianity and Judaism. READ »

Conservatives slam Wulff for Islam remarks

Politics: 5 Oct 10
Leading conservative German politicians assailed President Christian Wulff on Tuesday for comments intimating Islam had gained a status comparable to Christianity and Judaism in Germany. READ »

Muslim group lauds Wulff's remarks on Islam

Society: 4 Oct 10
A senior Muslim representative in Germany praised on Monday comments by President Christian Wulff that Islam was integral part of the country's society, aimed at cooling a heated debate on integration. READ »

German President Wulff honours 20th Unity Day

National: 3 Oct 10
Germany's President Christian Wulff Sunday paid tribute to the courage of those who threw off the shackles of communism, as the country celebrated 20 years since reunification after decades of Cold War division. READ »

Left-wing violence feared for Unity Day

Society: 1 Oct 10
An intelligence chief warned on Friday that left-wing extremist violence could break out when the 20th anniversary of Germany’s reunification is celebrated this weekend in Bremen. READ »

President Wulff investigated for financial irregularities

Politics: 17 Sep 10
Embattled Chancellor Angela Merkel has been dealt fresh blow this week as the German parliament said it was investigating President Christian Wulff over alleged financial irregularities before taking office. READ »

Reports of Sarrazin's pay-off provoke fury

Politics: 12 Sep 10
Reports that the Bundesbank agreed to increase disgraced board member Thilo Sarrazin’s pension payments by €1,000 a month to accelerate his departure have been greeted with fury and denials. READ »

Sarrazin steps down

National: 10 Sep 10
Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin resigned late on Thursday after causing weeks of uproar with inflammatory comments on immigrants and Jews. READ »

Severance pay for Sarrazin in question

National: 9 Sep 10
Embattled Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin may not receive a severance package if he is removed from his post following incendiary claims about race and immigration, a media report said on Thursday. READ »

Public support for Sarrazin puts politicians in spin

Politics: 5 Sep 10
Nearly a fifth of Germans would vote for a political protest party headed by Thilo Sarrazin, a poll revealed on Sunday, as mainstream politicians argue about how best to react to his statements on Muslims, immigration and Jews. READ »