Latest News Updates in Germany on a Typical Friday
In a significant ruling, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has determined that telecommunications spy software can only be used for investigating particularly serious crimes with a maximum prison sentence exceeding three years. This decision, made in 2025, aims to protect privacy and constitutional rights in less serious criminal cases [1][2][3][5].
The court's ruling emphasizes that deploying spyware to read encrypted messages or search suspects' devices is a significant intrusion on fundamental rights and must be strictly limited for reasons of proportionality. The ruling partially annuls previous legislation allowing broader use of digital surveillance, requiring police surveillance to target only serious offenses while ensuring stronger legal safeguards [1][5].
Some provisions regarding online searches of entire IT systems have been found to be constitutionally deficient but temporarily valid until legislative changes are made [5].
Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior has defended the acquisition of a high-end coffee machine, a "La Cimbali S20," for the lab. The machine, capable of producing over 96 coffee specialties and up to 200 cups per day, is necessary for serving large events and groups of 300 to 500 monthly visitors [4].
In other news, the Mining, Chemical and Energy Industrial Union (IG BCE) has criticized Adidas' decision to leave the collective bargaining agreement, effective from September 1st. The union wants to secure a seven percent wage increase for employees covered by the regional collective agreement for the sporting goods and footwear industry [6].
In an unrelated development, a rare leucistic fox with white fur and blue eyes was photographed in Bavaria [7].
The police in Germany have arrested three more suspects in an alleged far-right coup plot, bringing the total number of people on trial to 27. The plot, allegedly an offshoot of the German Reichsbuerger, or Citizens of the Reich, movement, involves individuals who reject the legitimacy of the modern German republic. The alleged plotters have been accused of belonging to a terrorist organization and of preparation of high treason [8].
The police "Innovation Lab" in Duisburg, NRW, has seen costs skyrocket to about €4.66 million. Notably, a €14,600 expenditure was made on a coffee machine [9].
A recent report by the German Health Insurance (DKV) found that only two percent of the German population fits their criteria for an all-round healthy lifestyle. The survey, based on a survey of 2,800 people aged 18 and over, looked at diet, physical activity, and sitting behavior, among other things [10].
The alleged plotters have been found to have taken inspiration from conspiracy theories, including the global QAnon movement, and have drawn up "lists of enemies" [8].
References:
[1] https://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/DE/2025/bvg25-061.html [2] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/bundesverfassungsgericht-staats-trojans-durfen-nur-fuer-schwere-verbrechen-eingesetzt-werden/27057418.html [3] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bundesverfassungsgericht-staats-trojans-nur-fuer-schwere-verbrechen-zulassig-a-d628d9d6-532a-4a0d-b329-64a84ee401a7 [4] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/coffee-machine-kostet-bundesregierung-14600-euro-und-verursacht-debatte/27046790.html [5] https://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/Entscheidungen/DE/2025/06/rs20250617_2bv2352/rs20250617_2bv2352.html [6] https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/adidas-beendet-tarifvertrag-mit-ig-bce-2021-08-13/ [7] https://www.n-tv.de/nachrichten/deutschland/leucistic-fox-in-bayern-rare-fuchs-mit-weissem-fell-und-blauen-augen-fotografiert-artikel-102.html [8] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/polizei-hat-drei-neue-verhaftungen-im-zusammenhang-mit-rechtsextremisten-gemacht/27047592.html [9] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article210462896/Polizei-Innovations-Labor-in-Duisburg-kostet-4-66-Millionen-Euro.html [10] https://www.dkv.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/2022/03/2022-03-17-dkv-bericht-zur-gesundheit-der-deutschen-bevoelkerung-2022.html
The Federal Constitutional Court's ruling on telecommunications spy software application has set a limit for its use in investigations only for serious crimes with a maximum prison sentence exceeding three years, aiming to uphold privacy and constitutional rights in less serious criminal cases. In a related development, the police in Germany have arrested more suspects for allegedly planning a far-right coup plot, with the alleged plotters taking inspiration from global conspiracy theories.
