On Sept. 6, the Alternative for Germany party is expected to break through the country's political "firewall."

Internal defense ministry documents say the plan for a new long-range strike arsenal ranges from cheap cruise missiles to Tomahawks and future hypersonic weapons.

The recruitment campaign comes as Berlin seeks roughly 73,000 additional active troops over the next decade.

Russia has deployed the Admiral Kasatonov, one of its most advanced vessels, off the coast of Germany, media outlets report.

From Merz’s conservatives to Alternative for Germany and the Left, condemnation cut across the Bundestag's political spectrum.

Criminal investigations of people who have referred to Merz as “Pinocchio” and “Lying Fritz” have prompted calls for reform across the political divide.