The day opened with reports of the coalition summit dragging into the night without decisions, as Bild and FR noted half of Germans wanting the government to end. By mid-morning, the focus shifted to the collapse of the 1,000-euro relief bonus, with RP Online confirming it was off the table and Welt blaming the SPD. In the afternoon, Merz vowed a comprehensive summer reform package covering taxes and pensions, as reported by WAZ and Zeit. The AfD continued to gain in polls, with Junge Freiheit reporting a six-point lead over the Union. Meanwhile, the US-China summit dominated foreign coverage, with Welt warning of a potential deal harming Germany and TAZ framing it as a test of strength. Russia's Baltic naval advance also drew attention, with Welt highlighting Moscow's deployment of the destroyer 'Severomorsk' in the Lübeck Bight.
