1.
Social discord
Robin Hood would probably turn in his grave if he knew what the traffic light government led by a Social Democrat is planning: in the future, savings are to be made among the long-term unemployed of all people.
Take from the poor, give to the finance minister's budget?
It's not particularly social.
As my colleagues David Böcking, Florian Diekmann, Marc Röhlig and Christian Teevs revealed last night, the so-called social labor market, i.e. publicly funded jobs for difficult cases among the long-term unemployed, is threatened with extinction.
This emerges from the draft budget for 2023.
Specifically, for the coming year, "benefits for integration into work" in the basic security for jobseekers are to be reduced from currently a good 4.8 billion euros to 4.2 billion euros - a minus of a total of 609 million euros.
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Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) at a cabinet meeting in Berlin
Photo:
Markus Schreiber / AP
"Shortly before the summer break, the distribution battle breaks out in the coalition," write the colleagues.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), who is celebrating the wedding with his partner Franca Lehfeldt on Sylt today and at the weekend, wants to comply with the debt brake again in the coming year and has condemned all ministries to save.
Hubertus Heil's (SPD) Ministry of Labor makes up around a third of the budget.
The so-called social labor market has existed since 2019, i.e. state-subsidized jobs for people who have been unemployed for at least six years.
For people who no longer have a realistic chance on the regular job market, for example because they suffer from mental health problems.
"It's a program that aims to give those who have been left behind in this country some dignity and participation," comments my colleague Markus Feldenkirchen.
He points out that it was Scholz "who campaigned for himself as Chancellor in the federal election campaign with one word: Respect!
It was on many election posters and was the key word in his campaign.
What was missing at the time were three letters: l, o and s. Because that is the planned cut for the long-term unemployed: not just instinctive, but also disrespectful.« Especially in times when the government is spending 100 billion as a »Bundeswehr special fund« up their sleeves, so far one has waited in vain for the »Social Peace Special Fund«.
Markus Feldenkirchen asks himself "whether this government is perhaps still aware of the devastating signal it is sending with the planned cuts in already rough times" and makes a concrete suggestion: "Perhaps the chancellor and finance minister can do this this weekend on the sidelines of Christian Lindner's wedding chat again about the cutback plans.
With a glass of champagne in the Sylt Zanzibar.«
Read the full comment here: This is disrespectful, Chancellor
And here more on the subject: Why the cuts in the long-term unemployed could harm the chancellor
2. Game over
'No one is irreplaceable in politics.' With that in mind, Boris Johnson resigned as Conservative leader this afternoon.
He intends to give up the post of prime minister in the fall.
In the end, the pressure on him was simply too great: after a whole series of scandals, almost 60 ministers and other government officials had resigned in protest against Johnson since Tuesday evening.
The outgoing prime minister complained that it was painful not to be able to continue supporting many projects and ideas.
He was "sad that I have to give up the best job in the world".
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Photo:
Henry Nicholls / REUTERS
The trigger for the most recent government crisis was that Johnson hoisted Conservative MP Chris Pincher into an important parliamentary group office, even though he was already aware of allegations of sexual harassment against his party colleague.
Pincher resigned last week after drunkenly groping two men.
In parting, Johnson impressively demonstrated one of his greatest talents: combative speech.
In his press statement, he not only addressed his citizens, but also the Ukrainian people: "We will support your freedom struggle for as long as it is necessary." His last sentence was almost poetic: "The present may seem gloomy, ours common future will be golden.«
The UK is indeed facing challenging times.
The head of the opposition British Labor Party, Keir Starmer, is also pushing for a complete change of government, according to the Reuters news agency.
“We don't need a change in the Tories at the top – we need a complete change in government,” the opposition leader said.
Starmer spoke of a "new beginning for Great Britain".
Whoever will embody this new beginning.
It would have to be one person to bring the country to rest.
That's why I had to smile when I heard the tweet from my colleague Veit Medick from SPIEGEL's capital city office: "An Olaf Scholz like that would be good for Great Britain now."
Read more here: Why Ukrainians will miss Boris Johnson
3. Involuntary Waiver
There are prizes that you don't forget.
»What the first CD cost, for example.
Or the first used car that you worked a whole summer for,” writes my colleague Alexander Preker from our business department.
In times of high inflation rates, prices are perhaps the most important issue for many people.
Many Germans are anxiously awaiting the bill for heating costs in particular.
"Consumer advocates are now advising a four-person household to set aside up to 2,000 euros for the additional payment," writes Alexander.
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Photo:
Martin Wagner / IMAGO
I've been practicing the cold shower discipline lately.
It clears your head, wakes you up and saves energy.
Because giving up is voluntary, it's fun.
It becomes ugly when it is imposed by the landlord.
It was with some skepticism that I read the report today, according to which Germany's largest housing group, Vonovia, wants to lower the flow temperature of the heating system during the night hours.
The rooms then warm up to around 17 degrees at best.
What happens when gas runs out?
Who will be forced to save first?
The voice-catching podcast by my SPIEGEL colleague Marius Mestermann is also dedicated to these questions today.
In its current episode you will hear why an industrial company fears an emergency, how citizens prepare for gas shortages and what measures the federal government is planning.
On July 11, the flow of gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline was stopped – allegedly only temporarily.
In Germany, however, there is growing concern that Russia will stop delivering completely and we are heading for a cold winter of crisis.
Read more here: Bundestag resolves faster expansion of green electricity
(Would you like to receive the "Situation in the evening" conveniently by e-mail in your inbox? Order the daily briefing as a newsletter here.)
News and background to the war in Ukraine:
Soldiers hoist the Ukrainian flag on the recaptured Snake Island:
"Remember, 'Russian warship', the island belongs to Ukraine!!!": These words are on a flag that the Ukrainian military has erected on Snake Island.
The fear of the clever killing machines:
Are AI-controlled combat drones flying in the Ukraine war?
Experts say: Weapons that independently seek, select and engage targets have long been in use – and outlawing them is a long way off.
The wrong man in the wrong place:
Why the replacement of the Ukrainian ambassador was overdue, but German history lessons are superfluous.
Find all the latest developments on the war in Ukraine here: The News Update
What else is important today
Fish are dying in the Elbe, soil is drying out:
too little rain, too much sun: a new heat wave with temperatures of up to 39 degrees is heading for Germany in the next few weeks.
The drought is already having consequences in many places.
Lufthansa is canceling even more flights:
the situation at German airports remains chaotic.
Lufthansa is therefore canceling further flights at its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich.
The head of the supervisory board has admitted mistakes in the personnel strategy.
FBI and MI5 jointly warn of threat from China:
Normally they hardly disclose any information, now the US and British domestic intelligence services are going on the offensive against China.
The government there is out to "steal technology."
Jabeur destroys Maria's dream of the final:
Ons Jabeur was too strong for Tatjana Maria: The sensational triumph of the Germans came to an end in the Wimbledon semifinals.
She lost in three sets against the second in the world rankings.
What we recommend at SPIEGEL+ today
Is Germany buying into Swedish nuclear power plants and Russian coal power?
A new law should enable the German state to save the gas supplier Uniper: This would make the federal government a shareholder in highly controversial projects.
Even in Robert Habeck's Ministry of Economics there are doubts.
Public prosecutors are investigating AfD members of the Bundestag:
Investigators have searched the offices of AfD politician Stephan Protschka.
According to SPIEGEL information, he is said to have falsified data while working as an investment advisor.
"I was aware that with this step I was asking something of those around me":
Manuela Neuroth felt like a woman, but had the body of a man.
For decades she hid her feelings from her wife, children and colleagues at the coal-fired power plant.
Then she dared to come out.
Which is less important today
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Photo:
Valerie Macon/AFP
Epic blue chip: James Cameron,
67, is one of the last great old blockbuster purveyors who hasn't turned to series television but still believes in the power of the big screen.
13 years after the start of his science fiction epic »Avatar«, its sequel is now set to hit the cinemas.
In an interview with the cinema magazine »Empire«, he has already given out to everyone who may be bothered by the epic length of his continued shooting.
He can already see the reviews before him: "'A deadly agonizing three-hour film!'" Then he goes on: "I watched five one-hour episodes of a series with my children in a row.
There has to be a paradigm shift here: it's perfectly okay to get up and pee in between."
Typo of the day
, now corrected: "I didn't want to overwhelm anyone."
Cartoon of the day:
Boris
And tonight?
It's funny how different the tastes of moviegoers are.
My SPIEGEL colleague Lars-Olav Beier describes today's new film about Empress Sissi as a "terrific historical drama".
»Corsage« develops »a gripping, touching and modern drama about self-determination from the story of the mythically transfigured Elisabeth«.
Tobias Kurzmaier, who saw "Corsage" as the opening film at the Munich Film Festival, only gave it a grade of 3 in his short review on Instagram Showing Empress Sissi rising in bed is quite radical and only partially works in terms of the effect on the audience, as I felt around me.
The dogs were definitely great.”
Have fun making your own judgement!
Have a nice evening,
your Anna Clauss
Here you can order the »Situation in the Evening« by e-mail.