State of Germany; capital Wiesbaden; Frankfurt am Main is its financial hub
Storms have caused multiple casualties and widespread damage across Germany. In Waldorf, a 58-year-old woman has died after a tree fell on a shelter as a storm moved through Rhineland-Palatinate; a 47-year-old woman has been taken to hospital with serious injuries. Tornadoes and strong winds have damaged buildings, knocked out power, and forced evacuations at a Kronach festival. Authorities warn of more severe weather to come.
Regional ballots in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have shown heavy losses for Friedrich Merz’s CDU and strong gains for the far-right AfD, two weeks after the AfD routed the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt. Merz has cancelled travel, convened CDU leaders and cleared his diary as party figures warn the results will increase pressure on his leadership.