Germany news: Merkel tells voters to 'stand up' for democracy
Former German Chancellor Merkel has weighed in on elections in Saxony-Anhalt, where the far-right AfD leads the polls. Meanwhile, German firms paid out a record sum to employees on sick leave last year. DW has more.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged her fellow citizens to defend democracy prior to the upcoming state election in Saxony-Anhalt. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is currently leading the polls, prompting concerns about potential government formation. Merkel emphasized the importance of standing up for democracy, despite the fact that most Germans are not AfD voters.
She stated that the AfD has dominated discussions about Saxony-Anhalt's politics, making it a nationwide issue. The Chancellor's government plans to hold Moscow responsible for the Leipzig drone incident, with several sanctions expected. The rise of the AfD is not limited to eastern states, according to Merkel. Germany's sick leave costs have more than doubled in the last 15 years, with the total reaching €85.6 billion in 2020.
The increase is attributed to factors like wage hikes, inflation, and the introduction of electronic medical certificates.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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