AfD lawmaker fined over Hitler salute collage – DW – 10/17/2025

Skip next section German brewers announce beer price hikes after years of stability

10/17/2025October 17, 2025

German brewers announce beer price hikes after years of stability

Beer prices in Germany are expected to rise as major brewers pass on higher costs to retailers and bars.

Krombacher and Veltins have already raised prices this month for bottled and draft beer, with others set to follow. According to trade magazine Inside, six of the ten most popular beer brands in Germany are affected, alongside many smaller breweries.

It remains unclear how much of the increase will reach consumers. Inside editor Niklas Other noted that large overcapacity in the brewing sector gives retailers leverage to keep prices down. Analyst Marcus Strobl from market research firm NIQ said price tags in stores may not change until after Christmas, as retailers aim to protect holiday sales.

German beer consumption continues to fall, driven by demographic change and tighter budgets. NIQ data show overall beer sales fell 2.1% in retail and 8.6% in hospitality in the first half of 2025. “People are drinking less overall,” Strobl said. “Many now stop after one glass instead of ordering a second or third.”

Why Germany’s small breweries are struggling

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/52C3H

Skip next section Schröder clashes with inquiry over Nord Stream defense

10/17/2025October 17, 2025

Schröder clashes with inquiry over Nord Stream defense

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has fiercely defended the Nord Stream gas pipelines, calling them “still the right decision,” while repeatedly clashing with lawmakers during a tense parliamentary inquiry in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Appearing by video link from Hanover, the 81-year-old ex-leader of the center-left Social Democrats, grew visibly irritated as he faced questions about his role in the project and a state-backed climate foundation that helped shield Nord Stream 2 from US sanctions.

He dismissed several inquiries as “ridiculous” or “irrelevant” and, at one point, snapped at the committee chair, Sebastian Ehlers of the conservative Christian Democrats: “Can you stop this nonsense?”

Schröder insisted the pipeline had aimed to secure affordable gas from Russia and make Germany less dependent on coal and nuclear power. He said objections from Poland “didn’t interest me” and that the project had been deliberately planned to avoid “interventions from other countries.”

The former chancellor offered few concrete answers, often claiming he could not remember. He described past economic cooperation with Moscow as a “peace policy” and said it should still be seen that way.

Since leaving public office, Schröder has worked for several Russian state-owned energy companies, including Nord Stream itself, Rosneft, and Gazprom.

5 things you need to know about Nord Stream

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/52C30

Skip next section AfD lawmaker fined over Hitler salute photomontage

10/17/2025October 17, 2025

AfD lawmaker fined over Hitler salute photomontage

Far-right German lawmaker Petr Bystron has been fined €11,250 (about $13,140) after a Munich court found him guilty of using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations.

The European Parliament member for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was convicted over a 2022 social media post showing former Chancellor Angela Merkel and others with raised arms in what the court said amounted to a banned Hitler salute “through the composition of the photos.”

Bystron did not attend Friday’s hearing and was represented by his lawyer, who argued the case had a “political background.” The court imposed a 90-day fine of €125 per day—just below the threshold for a criminal record. Prosecutors had sought 110 daily rates.

The lawmaker had posted the collage after the dismissal of former Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk, captioned “Bye, bye Melnyk! German politicians wave goodbye!” His lawyer admitted in court that Bystron had written the caption himself.

The verdict is not yet final and can be appealed within a week. Bystron has denied wrongdoing and described the proceedings as politically motivated.

He also faces separate charges of money laundering and bribery over alleged payments from the pro-Russian outlet Voice of Europe to promote Moscow’s interests in Germany.

Another AfD figure, Thuringia state leader Björn Höcke, has twice been convicted for using banned Nazi-era slogans.

Expert: Germany’s Nazi past raises alarm over far-right AfD

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/52C1w

Skip next section Welcome to our coverage10/17/2025October 17, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Guten Tag from DW’s newsroom in Bonn.

You join us after a Munich court fined far-right Alternative for Germany lawmaker Petr Bystron a hefty sum for posting a social media collage showing Angela Merkel and others appearing to perform a banned Hitler salute.

Judges said the 2022 image used Nazi symbols “through the composition of the photos.”

In other news, former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has defended the Russian-backed Nord Stream gas pipelines as “still right,” clashing with lawmakers who questioned his role in the project.

Follow here for the latest headlines throughout the day.

https://p.dw.com/p/52C2r

SOURCE PAGE