Daily brief
EU leaders are split over their response to the Iran conflict, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa publicly disagreeing on the bloc's stance. Costa and other Spanish officials argue the EU must defend a rules-based international order, while criticizing von der Leyen's position as overstepping her authority. The dispute highlights Europe's struggle to present a unified front on the issue.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticized Israel's planned E1 settlement expansion in the West Bank as a 'big mistake' and warned against annexation steps.
The classification of the AfD in Lower Saxony as a suspected extremist organization has been temporarily halted after a court complaint, with authorities treating it as a 'suspected case' again for now.
German Deputy Foreign Minister Katja Keul made a surprise visit to Israel, commenting on the Iran conflict and touring a site hit by a recent missile strike.
The SPD is positioning itself as a party of peace amid ongoing concerns over the Iran war, while the Greens and Left party have criticized Culture Minister Claudia Roth's performance.