German president warns democracy under threat after 'bitter setbacks' since reunification

Germany's president has used his final Unity Day speech to warn the hopes of the reunification era have suffered "bitter setbacks." DW has the latest.

Germany's leaders have gathered in the northern city of Bremen for official festivities marking Unity Day

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that Germany's democracy is being challenged again, pointing to the threat from right-wing extremism

In his final Unity Day speech as president, Steinmeier said some of the hopes surrounding reunification have not been fulfilled

The national holiday commemorates October 3, 1990, when the former East Germany joined the Federal Republic of Germany

Eastern Germany commissioner Elisabeth Kaiser says the country's next president should come from the east, and be a woman

She says eastern Germans remain underrepresented in positions of power more than three decades after reunification

Here is a roundup of top stories from and about Germany on Saturday, October 3, 2026:

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Thousands of people protested against war, military buildup and possible conscription in Berlin and Stuttgart on Saturday.

Among other things, the protesters called for a end to all economic sanctions and arms shipments, calling instead for increased social spending.

Protesters in Berlin marched from the Brandenburg Gate through the city center. Police estimated there were 5,800 attendees while organizers put the turnout at 20,000 people.