Trump's upcoming call with Putin regarding Ukraine peace dominated early headlines, with reports suggesting Trump proposed "sharing certain assets" with Russia. By midday, economic concerns took center stage as the Ifo Institute reported Germany's economy "stuck" partly due to Trump's policies.
The automotive industry crisis deepened as Audi announced 7,500 job cuts in Germany by 2029, adding to Tesla's ongoing 70% sales decline in the German market. Several newspapers connected these developments to broader economic uncertainties.
The day concluded with intense focus on the Bundestag vote for Merz's debt package, with reports indicating the measure could fail if more than 31 CDU members dissent. This vote represents the culmination of the three-party debt breakthrough from March 14th, with the CDU experiencing significant internal resistance. Wagenknecht suggested that AfD and Linkspartei could potentially block the "debt horror," while Bavaria's Aiwanger finally conceded to Söder and agreed to support the package.