Boris Pistorius
German politician
Photo: Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
- 5h ago
SPD to elect entire leadership at Bremen congress on 16 and 17 January after Bas quits
Bärbel Bas has stepped down as SPD co-chair and labour minister, and the party plans to elect its entire leadership at a congress in Bremen in mid-January.
- 2d ago
Steinmeier appoints Alexander Schweitzer labour minister after Bärbel Bas resigns
Frank-Walter Steinmeier handed Alexander Schweitzer his appointment certificate on Tuesday, 13 October, a day after Bärbel Bas stepped down as minister and SPD chair. Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants pension and labour market bills in cabinet quickly, and the succession at the top of the SPD remains open.
- 3d ago
Airbus flies Kratos Valkyrie drone in Europe, targets German combat readiness in 2029
Airbus says a Kratos-built Valkyrie drone flew over northern Europe on 29 September, with the German Air Force targeting combat-ready units by 2029.
- 6d ago
US ambassador praises Kosiniak-Kamysz as Poland and Lithuania push for permanent US troops
Ambassador Tom Rose praised Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on social media, while PiS MP Marcin Ociepa questioned why plans for a permanent US base in Poland have not moved since last year.
- Oct 8
France and Germany say joint MGCS tank project continues after Paris claims Berlin quit
Defence ministers Boris Pistorius and Catherine Vautrin said on Friday that the Main Ground Combat System is not dead, a day after France's chief of defence staff said Germany had decided to quit it.
- Oct 5
Germany to build multibillion-euro naval base in Emden to expand North Sea operations
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Lower Saxony Minister President Olaf Lies signed an agreement to build a 750-hectare naval base in Emden by the early 2030s, creating berths for 27 vessels.
- Oct 1
Damen demands 4.7 billion euros from Germany over cancelled F126 frigate program
Dutch shipbuilder Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding is seeking approximately 4.7 billion euros from the German government after Defense Minister Boris Pistorius scrapped a six-vessel naval contract.
- Oct 1
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz falls to 10% approval in ARD poll
A survey conducted by Infratest dimap for broadcaster ARD shows only 10% of German voters approve of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the lowest rating for any chancellor since polling began in 1997, as the AfD leads federal voting intentions at 27%.
- Oct 1
Germany to form first Bundeswehr drone regiment with 600 troops by 2027
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced the unit during tests at the Bergen training grounds, confirming plans for up to 600 personnel and 500-kilometre operating ranges.
- Oct 1
KNDS CEO says tank maker could proceed with IPO in 2026 as revenue climbs 30%
Franco-German tank manufacturer KNDS is maintaining preparations for a potential stock market listing in 2026 after postponing its July float, with full-year revenue projected to grow roughly 30%.
- Sep 28
EU defence ministers review capability deficits and debate crisis protocol in Brussels
Meeting in Brussels, EU defence officials evaluated military readiness shortfalls, discussed an emergency response mechanism analogous to NATO Article 4, and addressed naval shortages in the Red Sea.
- Sep 9
Allies pledge air defense and drone packages at Ramstein meeting as EU unlocks 3.2 billion euros
Meeting online in the Ramstein format, partner nations coordinated fresh military packages including German and Norwegian Patriot missiles, Polish air defense systems, and 300 million dollars from the Netherlands for drone defenses.
- Aug 27
Rheinmetall and Hesse announce 270 million euro defense expansion in Kassel and Calden
The project will build a 30,000-square-meter logistics hub, a drone testing facility, and expanded manufacturing capacity for up to 500 Boxer armored vehicles per year.
- Aug 10
Economist Schularick says Pistorius wastes €700 billion Bundeswehr budget on tanks and frigates
Kiel Institute president Moritz Schularick told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is spending much of the €700 billion Bundeswehr modernization budget on tanks and frigates instead of AI, drones and robotics, warning the program risks fizzling out.
- Jun 25
German defence ministry sees high questionnaire response but only 530 enlist for new military service
Six months after Germany reintroduced military registration, 96% of young men filled out mandatory questionnaires, but only 530 have signed up for service in 2026. Broader recruitment saw double-digit growth.
- Jun 22
Germany's new Lithuania brigade may require conscription, Pistorius warns during first major exercise
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, visiting the first large-scale drill of the new Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania near the Belarus border, said soldiers could be ordered to serve if not enough volunteer for the permanent deployment.
- Jun 18
German warships pass Suez Canal as Berlin prepares for possible Strait of Hormuz mine-clearing mission
Two German naval vessels transited the Suez Canal on Thursday, positioning around 140 troops off Djibouti while the government weighs a parliamentary mandate for a mine-sweeping operation in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Jun 1
German Defense Ministry Admits ‘Mistake’ After Travel Permit Rule for Military-Age Men Likely Illegal
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is under fire after a Bundestag report found his suspension of a controversial travel permit requirement for men aged 18–45 likely illegal. The ministry now admits a ‘mistake’ and promises a legislative fix.
- May 29
Germany Plans Mandatory Reserve Drills: Pistorius Pushes Law to End 'Double Voluntariness' for 200,000-Strong Force
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is advancing a draft law to compel former soldiers to attend regular military exercises in peacetime, scrapping the current system where both reservists and their employers must consent.
