Stories from Munich · Germany

Ergo, a subsidiary of a German insurance group, plans to expand its business in life and health reinsurance. The company also intends to grow its primary insurance business and increase specialized insurance offerings, such as for vintage cars.

More than 100 tax investigators conducted simultaneous searches at approximately 20 locations across Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia. The investigation targets an entrepreneur allegedly linked to various companies using mailbox addresses in trade tax oases. The raids were carried out on Wednesday. Investigators are looking into a service provider that allegedly enabled fake registered offices for multiple businesses. More than 100 tax offenses are under investigation, though officials declined further comment due to tax secrecy and ongoing proceedings.

Bavarian Minister President Markus Söder has shifted his position to support a proposed sugar tax or levy. Söder was initially opposed to the measure, but has now moved in favor of the proposal following pressure.

The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has classified the Islamic Community Milli Görüş (IGMG) as an Islamist group. The agency stated the group aims to achieve long-term societal changes. The IGMG has rejected these classifications. The group operates the European Halal Certification Institute, which covers more than 1,000 ingredients across areas including Augsburg, Freising, and Starnberg. The classification comes amid ongoing discussions regarding the group's role in German society.

The Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution has designated the Islamic Center Munich as an extremist observation object. Authorities are investigating the center's issuance of Halal certificates for sausage products as a potential business model for extremist circles. The Islamic Center stated that only a single-digit number of product certifications were performed in 2025 and rejected allegations of Islamophobia. Spokesperson Florian Volm stated the agency views the center's involvement in Halal certification as problematic. Some segments of the Islamist scene reportedly view Halal certification as a business model for recruitment. The IZM responded to inquiries from BR, noting that the number of certifications in 2025 was in the single digits. The agency aims to increase transparency regarding who issues Halal certificates to inform users.

The IFO Institute reports that German companies are planning extensive job reductions. The IFO Institute report states that the business barometer has fallen to its lowest level in six years. Companies in Germany are planning more job cuts across almost all sectors due to global crises, specifically the war in the Middle East. The report also notes that rising fixed rental payments are impacting businesses. Additionally, the German government aims to reduce airport wait times by enabling full digital check-in processes. The report indicates that almost no industry is exempt from potential job reductions. A company is planning to cut 1,500 jobs, with the majority of these reductions occurring at locations within Germany.

An investment review process is currently being conducted by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs regarding Zippel. The Ministry and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution have declined to comment on the matter.

The number of connection requests for large-scale energy storage systems has risen to 10,000 across Germany. Andreas Schieder of Tennet stated that grid operators initially faced a surge of requests that lacked verified seriousness or project readiness.

Solar energy curtailment in Bavaria increased by 97 percent from 2023 to 2024. The Federal Network Agency reported that Bavaria experienced the highest levels of energy shutdowns in Germany.

The Bavarian mountain rescue service recorded approximately 3,500 operations between May and October 2025. Ten percent of these incidents involved uninjured individuals who had overexerted themselves. Mountain guide Pedro Veda attributed the trend to a decline in personal responsibility driven by social media. Veda described the phenomenon as seeking 'thrill instead of skill' to satisfy online expectations. Police reported more than 27,000 cases of domestic violence in Bavaria last year. Organizations such as Opferhilfe Weißer Ring estimate the actual number of unreported cases is significantly higher. The report noted that cases continue to rise in the region.