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Lower Saxony’s Minister-President Olaf Lies is raising the possibility of building Chinese cars in VW plants
On April 19, 2026, Lower Saxony’s Minister-President Olaf Lies sparked a sensitive debate about the future of Volkswagen’s German plants. The Social Democratic politician, who also sits on Volkswagen’s supervisory board, advocated for examining the possibility of manufacturing Chinese cars at German VW factories. This proposal was prompted by the growing push of Chinese manufacturers
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The energy transition is outpacing technology – political goals are growing faster than the system
Since 2000, Germany has transformed its energy supply at a rapid pace, politically driven by a concerted effort to phase out nuclear power, initiate the coal phase-out, massively promote wind and solar energy, plan new power lines, and further electrify transportation and heating. These transformations were driven by climate policy, the commitment to phasing out
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German economy slides deeper into crisis – sentiment reaches new low
Business sentiment in Germany deteriorated further in April 2026. According to a survey of around 1,000 companies conducted by the German Economic Institute (IW), 43 percent reported a worse situation than a year ago, while only 14 percent saw an improvement. At the same time, the anticipated spring boost failed to materialize, as 35 percent
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Electric cars: a bottomless pit – car companies’ profits plummet to a ten-year low
Nineteen leading automotive groups worldwide are facing a deep earnings crisis after the 2025 fiscal year because the anticipated ramp-up of electric vehicles, particularly in Europe and the US, fell significantly short of expectations. According to an EY analysis published in April 2026, the manufacturers’ total profit plummeted by 59 percent, from €143 billion to
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Hubertz wants to make landlords share in the cost increases caused by the installation of oil and gas heating systems
Federal Construction Minister Verena Hubertz (SPD) wants landlords to share in potential heating cost increases resulting from the installation of natural gas or oil heating systems. “If a landlord decides to install such a system, which will generally be permitted under the new Building Modernization Act, then heating costs could rise considerably over the years
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LEAG halts Gigabattery project in Brandenburg – network charges jeopardize the billion-euro project
In April 2026, LEAG put the brakes on its large-scale battery storage plans in Lusatia. The focus is on Jänschwalde in Brandenburg, but Boxberg in Saxony is also affected. The trigger was considerations regarding new grid fees, which could place a greater burden on large-scale storage facilities. This jeopardizes a multi-billion-euro project intended to store
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Siemens warns: EU AI rules are hindering Europe as a development location for artificial intelligence
At the Hannover Messe trade fair, Siemens CEO Roland Busch warned of the consequences of EU AI regulations for Europe as a development and application hub for artificial intelligence. The company plans to invest around one billion euros in industrial AI, but a large portion of this is slated to flow to the US if
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Submarine construction to be relocated: Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is considering production in Spain
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), based in Kiel, plans to relocate parts of its submarine construction to Spain due to the global arms boom. The move was announced in April 2026 after the company and the Spanish shipyard Navantia signed a letter of intent. The impetus is the sharply increased demand for naval projects, while available
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Three factory closures in one day – 900 jobs affected
On Thursday, April 16, 2026, three plant closures in Germany and Austria were decided upon or announced: MANN+HUMMEL plans to close its plant in Speyer by the end of 2028, ZF will scale down its Lebring site by the end of 2027, and Hydro will cease production in Lüdenscheid as early as May 31, 2026.
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Report: Acute food shortages have increased significantly in many countries
According to international organizations, acute food shortages have increased significantly in numerous countries around the world. Around 266 million people in 47 countries were affected by severe food shortages last year, according to the “Global Report on Food Crises” published Friday in Rome. This is almost twice as many as in 2016. According to the
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Boom in nuclear power and space travel triggers stock rally in energy and space stocks
A stock rally has begun in the nuclear and aerospace sector on international stock markets, driven by investments in small modular reactors (SMRs), new US space plans, and an optimistic outlook for uranium stocks. Notable gainers include Oklo, NuScale Power, and Energy Fuels, while Denison Mines, Lightbridge, and Uranium Energy also posted gains. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce
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Solar parks are displacing farmers – leased land is disappearing and threatening livelihoods
In Germany, farmers have been increasingly losing leased land to operators of large solar parks since 2023, while government subsidies and high energy prices are accelerating expansion. Regions with intensive agriculture are particularly affected, as investors are paying significantly higher leases. The decisive risk factor lies in this financial superiority, which is crowding out agricultural
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Savings depleted – millions of households fear the next price shock
In Germany, following the recent rise in oil prices, fears are growing of further price shocks affecting everyday shopping, as many households have hardly any savings left. The trigger is significantly higher costs for energy, fuel, and daily groceries, which have noticeably increased the cost of living recently. In March, the inflation rate rose to
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Sensor specialist Sick AG is cutting 500 jobs in southern Baden – every tenth position is at risk
Sensor specialist Sick AG, based in Waldkirch, plans to cut around 500 jobs in southern Baden-Württemberg. The cuts will affect the Waldkirch, Reute, Freiburg, and Donaueschingen locations, which currently employ approximately 5,000 people. The reduction was recently announced after the company had already warned of further cuts in November and, in January, announced the closure
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Reich’s plans for future energy supply continue to draw criticism
Plans by Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) for Germany’s energy supply continue to draw criticism – even within the coalition. Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) criticized the reform plans for the electricity grids on Wednesday: “I still see considerable room for improvement,” he told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Green Party leader Felix Banaszak accused