Germany news: Merz plays down US military withdrawal plans

Key Points:

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz downplayed US President Donald Trump's threat to withdraw over 5,000 troops from Germany, calling it "nothing new" and emphasizing the importance of strong transatlantic ties despite policy differences.
• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced that Germany will maintain border controls despite a significant drop in asylum applications, and defended ongoing deportations of convicted criminals to Afghanistan as a security measure.
• Germany's left-wing parties—the Greens, Social Democrats, and Left—have collectively withdrawn from the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), citing concerns over misinformation and the platform's decline under Elon Musk's ownership.
• EU diplomat Kaja Kallas expressed surprise at the timing of the US troop withdrawal announcement, highlighting the need for Europe to strengthen its role within NATO amid shifting transatlantic dynamics.
• The caesarean-section birth rate in Germany reached a record high of 33% in 2024, more than doubling since 1991, with notable regional variations across the country.