Germany news: Unemployment tops 3 million as industry slumps
What you need to know
- Germany's employment agency recorded a jump of 71,000 in monthly unemployment numbers, pushing the total to over 3 million
- EU's biggest economy reports 6.4% overall unemployment rate
- Sales of portable air conditioners in Germany doubled in the first six months of 2026, according to market researcher NIQ
Here is a roundup of some of the top headlines from and about Germany on Friday, July 31, 2026:
Merz calls for action from Spain, Morocco
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday urged Spain to quickly regain control of the situation in Ceuta after some 50,000 migrants stormed the Spanish North African territory from Morocco over the past several days, overwhelming authorities.
The situation has sparked a raging political debate in the EU over border security.
"The protection of the European Union's external borders," said Merz, "is crucial for combating illegal migration."
"Spain wants to, and must, bring the situation in Ceuta under control as quickly as possible," he said.
Merz welcomed Madrid's pledge to prevent the migrants from traveling onward to mainland Europe, where France has already announced new security measures along its border with Spain.
Speaking with Germany's DPA news agency, Franziska Hoppermann, whom Merz recently appointed secretary general of his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, also warned that, "Illegal migration threatens our country and our society. There must be no loss of control at the borders."
Beyond admonishing Spain, Merz also called on Morocco to "take back the illegal migrants immediately."
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt reiterated that Germany would maintain, "Flexible and targeted border controls with other EU states," adding, "We will extend the option for internal border controls beyond September" when they are set to lapse if not renewed for another six months.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he had been in touch with his Spanish and Moroccan counterparts and welcomed "Morocco's willingness to continue working closely with Spain to ensure the security of the shared border and to readmit the migrants from Ceuta as quickly as possible."
Cities not doing enough to fight heat say 83% in new poll
Some 83% of people interviewed for the latest ZDF Politbarometer poll on political sentiment in Germany feel cities are not doing enough to protect them from extreme heat.
Numerous improvements are needed said those polled, including making drinking water available in public spaces, increasing the amount of greenery in cities, improving building standards and providing cool spaces.
Only 13% of interviewees said enough was being done.
No trees, no shade, no water — very few cities offer respite from the heat, and citizens say that is a problem
Some 74% of those responding to broadcaster ZDF also said they feared increased extreme weather incidents in the coming years, including heatwaves, drought or flooding, whereas 25% said they were not worried.
The poll, conducted by the Wahlen Research Group in Mannheim, surveyed 1,405 random registered voters between July 28-30.
Responses did not seem to be indicative of party sympathies said pollsters, with voters of all stripes voicing similar opinions.
Municipalities, however, say such measures would cost billions, adding that they simply don't have the funds, and thus they see responsibility with the federal government when it comes to what local leaders describe is a generational task.
Climate Alliance Germany, a civil society initiative of more than 150 civic, environmental, labor and religious organizations advocating for "socially just climate policies at the local, national, European and global level" has also called on Berlin to take concrete steps.
Both the Climate Alliance and the local leadership organization Städtetag (the German Association of Cities and Towns) have called for a concerted effort, with Städtetag Managing Director Christian Schuchardt saying, "We have to approach it together — the federal government, the states and the municipalities."
'Mafia-like behavior': Former Bundesliga coach slams FIFA
Former Bundesliga coach Christian Streich has slammed world football's governing body FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino over plans for private investment in the World Cup which have provoked global outrage.
"What's going on there is mafia-style behavior," Streich told broadcaster Sky. "What's happening at FIFA is highly corrupt. These are simply mafia-like structures."
Streich, who enjoys cult status in Germany after a long spell in charge of SC Freiburg, said he would support a World Cup boycott, which he said was the only appropriate response to FIFA's plans.
"There's only one option: pull out of the World Cup. Then there will only be European Championships, although that would of course be a great shame," he said.
"You have to fight this with everything you've got, and I'm glad Europe is standing up against it."
Streich, 61, is well known in Germany for commenting on societal issues. During his time as a Bundesliga coach, he often used his platform to speak out against racism and discrimination, and criticized the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
During the recent men's World Cup, Streich worked as a pundit for German public broadcaster ZDF.
Right to repair: Germany implements new EU law
Electrical devices and household appliances purchased in Germany from today (July 31) onwards will enjoy an extended "right to repair" under new European Union legislation.
The new EU law applies to items such as washing machines, smartphones, refrigerators, dishwashers, televisions, data servers and vacuum cleaners, and obliges manufacturers to offer free or appropriately priced repairs beyond standard guarantee periods.
The aim of the new legislation is to encourage consumers and manufacturers to repair broken devices rather than throwing them away and purchasing or producing new ones, thereby saving energy and resources such as rare earth materials.
"Every appliance is manufactured using energy," Volker Stelzer, a researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, told German regional public broadcaster SWR.
"Materials are taken out of the environment, these materials are all processed, transported and processed again in order to create the final product."
Steffen Vangerow, chief executive of a repair work in the southwestern town of Reutlingen, pointed out that the purchase of a new replacement product from a country where manufacturing costs are lower is often cheaper than carrying out repairs or obtaining replacement parts in Germany.
Nevertheless, Vangerow's company has been advocating for simple repairs for years, and he welcomed the new EU law.
Germans go crazy for portable A/C units, doubling year-on-year sales
As summers continue to get hotter, Germans' appetite for air conditioners has grown exponentially.
According to the US market researcher NielsenIQ, or NIQ, German consumers purchased some 387,100 portable air-conditioning units in the first half of 2026 — an increase 219,000 units or 130% over Q1/2 2025.
May saw a 238% year-on-year sales increase and June — when a heatwave swept the country — a 121% jump in which 290,000 units were sold, 159,000 units more than the same month in 2025.
NIQ, which shared its market analytics data with German news agency DPA, said the units sold cost roughly €350 ($400) and were of two types: Transportable inside units that pump moisture out of doors via a small tube, as well as so-called split units consisting of interior and exterior elements.
The latter, more powerful type has gained significantly in popularity say NIQ analysts.
NIQ experts cited price, availability and easy operation as sales points for portable units, though they noted that these lack the efficiency and comfort of larger, fixed installation A/C systems, which were not included in the data.
Unemployment tops three million
Germany's Federal Employment Agency (BA) released its July unemployment numbers on Friday, showing an increase in joblessness. July's numbers jumped 71,000 over June, and 28,000 compared to July 2025.
"Unemployment and underemployment tend to jump significantly in July due to seasonal factors," said AB board member Daniel Terzenbach in Nuremberg. "Overall, this is a continuation of the weak labor market trends seen in recent months."
The seasonal dip has to do with the fact that apprenticeships tend to end in summer, leaving young people temporarily unemployed. Businesses also tend to postpone hiring until after the summer break.
Total unemployment now stands at 6.4% (up 0.2% from June), with some 3,007 million in Germany without work — the first time unemployment has pushed past three million since April.
Demand for workers was also lower in July according to the BA, which registered 653,000 advertised job openings, though that is 25,000 more than at the same time in 2025.
The number of people drawing unemployment checks also increased by 107,000 to 1.108 million; and statistics put the number of able-bodied welfare recipients at 3.775 million, down 121,000 compared to July 2025.
Not all of those receiving welfare were unemployed, with some working to reach minimum subsistence levels.
Employment agencies however also registered an increase in the number of people looking to enter apprenticeships — 418,000, up 4,000 from July 2025.
Welcome to our coverage
Jon Shelton AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, SID, KNA | Saim Dušan Inayatullah Editor
Guten Tag from DW news in Bonn where temperatures are not as high as feared but it's plenty muggy.
Today we'll kick off with monthly unemployment numbers, which are up. This is not too surprising in terms of seasonal trends — unemployment always jumps in July. Still, the number are also higher than last year. The Federal Employment Agency says this reflects the generally weak state of the German labor market.
Those Germans with money to spare, however, are buying portable air conditioners at double last year's rates. The units are flying off the shelves wie warme Semmeln (like warm rolls… as opposed to hotcakes) as Europe bakes.
A majority of Germans (83%) also feel that municipalities are doing too little to protect citizens from the dangers of extreme heat, with many calling for more public drinking fountains, cool spaces and more urban greenery — tell that to your neighbor with the new paved garden in front of their double carport!
Interestingly, political affiliation appeared to play little or no role in people's opinions about protection against the heat — despite the ideological battles being waged for years over the concept of climate change. When it's hot, it's hot, it seems, no matter your political persuasion.
Follow DW here for the latest Germany news throughout the day.
