German lawyer and CDU minister, leading education and family policy under Chancellor Merz since 2025
At a memorial site for the July 20 plotters, Tobias Korenke has intervened to remove a wreath placed by AfD; security intervened, wreath damaged. AfD’s role and presence at memorials are disputed as Germany marks the anniversary.
Chancellor Merz has vowed to press ahead with reforms after regional election losses in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while CDU faces questions over leadership as AfD gains ground. Five more state elections are planned next year.
Heidenau’s town council has halted new Stolpersteine plaques, shifting memorials to a cemetery site amid pressure from AfD and CDU allies. The move has drawn international criticism and intensifies debates over how Germany remembers Holocaust victims. The decision comes as AfD gains polling momentum and mainstream parties wrestle with their approach to remembrance in the east.