Coalition split widens over fuel price relief-Breaking News, Latest Updates

Police in Germany have recorded a significant increase in reported rape cases, according to a media survey.

The newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported 13,920 cases for 2025, up 9% from the previous year and continuing a steady rise from 8,106 cases in 2018.

The figures are based on state police crime statistics, reflecting fully investigated cases rather than convictions. However, they provide a clear indication of crime trends, with national crime statistics expected to be published soon.

Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig described sexualized violence against women as a serious issue, calling rape an “abhorrent crime” with lifelong consequences for victims.

Hubig said stricter minimum sentences are needed in particularly severe cases, including those involving date rape drugs. A draft law is expected to go before the cabinet soon, with the coalition also planning tougher penalties for gang rape and cases resulting in pregnancy.

At the same time, overall violent crime — including serious bodily harm, robbery, murder, and manslaughter — has declined slightly from a 2024 peak, with 212,344 cases reported compared to 217,277 the year before.

Germany’s coalition dispute over easing high fuel and energy costs has amped up as finance-minister-rejects-money-misuse-accusations/a-76461959″>center-left Social Democrat Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil presses for stronger state intervention amid turmoil in the Middle East.

The finance minister told the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that market intervention was the most effective tool, citing examples from other European countries, despite skepticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Klingbeil has renewed calls for a windfall tax, lower energy taxes, and a fuel price cap — measures that have been openly rejected by economy Minister Katherina Reiche and have been viewed skeptically by Merz.

“I can no longer explain to anyone why the governments in Belgium, Luxembourg, or Greece — none of which are communist countries — are limiting prices, while here they are skyrocketing,” Klingbeil told the newspaper. This “very fragile ceasefire” between the US and Iran, unfortunately, will not lead to prices coming down quickly.

The dispute escalated on Friday after Reiche separately criticized Klingbeil’s plans in a public appearance. Merz reacted by expressing concern over the open conflict and urged restraint, particularly from Reiche.

The Chancellor was “perplexed by the public exchange and urged Minister Reiche to exercise restraint,” according to sources close to him.

As recently as Thursday, Merz had expressed his expectation that Klingbeil and Reiche would put forward proposals jointly.

Welcome to our coverage

Guten Tag from DW’s newsroom in the sunny former capital of West Germany, Bonn.

Yes, we’re still enjoying cherry blossom season, something you can find out more about here.

You join us as Germany’s ruling coalition is showing signs of instability over the fuel price crisis.

Conservative Finance Minister Katharina Reiche appears to be increasingly at odds with the center-left Social Democrat Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil over how to address the issue.

For more on this and other news out of Germany, stay here with us.