Buses, trams and underground services across Germany were widely disrupted on Monday after the trade union Verdi launched a nationwide strike targeting municipal public transport employers. The action affected services in 15 of the country’s 16 states; Lower Saxony initially stayed out after local employees agreed not to strike. Wintry weather added to commuters’ difficulties, forcing schoolchildren and workers to find alternative routes.
Verdi says the stoppage is meant to pressure municipal authorities for improved working conditions, including shorter working weeks, longer rest periods between shifts, and higher allowances for night and weekend work. Pay and conditions talks are ongoing in several states, among them Bavaria, Brandenburg, Saarland and Thuringia, as well as for Hamburg’s underground network.
National rail operator Deutsche Bahn said its suburban, regional and long-distance trains were not affected because those staff are not represented by Verdi. DB noted that in major metropolitan areas where it operates services—Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne, Nuremberg and the Rhein-Main region around Frankfurt—trains would run as usual where covered by DB rather than municipal operators.
Political and domestic developments
– Chancellor Friedrich Merz, addressing political and business leaders in Frankfurt, warned that shifts in the transatlantic relationship with the United States require Europe to bolster technological autonomy and defense capabilities. He urged united and decisive measures to secure a sovereign, free and economically strong Europe, expressing regret at recent changes in transatlantic ties.
– Defense Minister Boris Pistorius inaugurated a new technology innovation center near Munich, saying advances such as drones and artificial intelligence will shape future defence needs. The Erding facility aims to speed procurement and deployment of new systems by partnering with research institutions, universities and start-ups.
– Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul began a diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia and the Pacific with meetings in Singapore. He held talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on deepening political and economic ties, cooperation on emerging technologies and support for a rules-based international order. The tour will also include New Zealand, Tonga and Australia.
Crime, courts and enforcement
– A Chinese student went on trial in Munich accused of repeatedly drugging and raping his sedated partner and filming the assaults. Prosecutors allege he used injections and cloth soaked with anesthetic to keep the woman unconscious and have charged him with multiple offences, including attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and aggravated rape. The footage has been withheld from the public and the defendant did not speak at the first hearing.
– Daniel Halemba, a 24-year-old AfD lawmaker, was fined €30,400 by a court in Würzburg after being convicted in juvenile court over money laundering and coercion linked to offences from 2022. He was acquitted on a separate incitement charge related to an alleged banned song at a birthday party. Halemba and his lawyers say the proceedings are politically motivated.
– German customs officers and federal prosecutors arrested five people in nationwide raids targeting a network accused of circumventing EU sanctions on Russia. The suspects, of German, Ukrainian and Russian nationality, are alleged to have used shell companies to procure industrial goods for Russian defence firms since February 2022. Prosecutors estimate about 16,000 shipments worth at least €30 million were arranged; arrests took place in Lübeck and the surrounding Herzogtum Lauenburg district.
Society and the economy
– Official data showed alcoholic beer sales in Germany fell by a record 6 percent in 2025 to 7.8 billion litres, the lowest level since comparable records began in 1993 and even below the pandemic years. Non-alcoholic beer now makes up roughly 10 percent of the market, reflecting shifting consumer tastes.
– The number of refugees returning home rose in 2025 after receiving support through Germany’s REAG/GARP subsidy scheme. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees reported 16,576 voluntary returnees last year, up from 10,358 previously. The programme covers flights and offers start-up payments of around €1,000 per adult and €500 per child. The resumption of the scheme for Syrians in January 2025 contributed to the increase.
– More American Jews are reclaiming German citizenship available to victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants. Coverage highlighted cases such as 103-year-old Holocaust survivor Ruth Gruenthal among those seeking citizenship amid growing worries about authoritarianism, racism and antisemitism in the United States.
Live coverage context
The transport strike was the lead item in live coverage on Monday, February 2, 2026, which also tracked developments in politics, defence, crime and social trends across Germany. The industrial action highlighted persistent tensions over public-sector working conditions and compensation, while the other stories underscored wider debates about security, international partnerships and social change.