CDU party conference resumes in Stuttgart

The 76th Berlin Film Festival comes to a close on Saturday after an edition which saw much controversy surrounding the role of politics in filmmaking.

During the opening ceremony of the Berlinale, 10 days ago, jury president Wim Wenders unleashed a storm of controversy when he responded to a question about the German government’s support for Israel and by extension the festival’s alleged bias by saying: “We cannot really enter the field of politics.”

Several artists pulled out of the festival following his statements, most notably award-winning Indian novelist Arundhati Roy. Due to present a restored version of a 1989 film she wrote, Roy announced she was dropping out, denouncing Wender’s words as “unconscionable” and “jaw-dropping.”

On Tuesday, dozens of film industry figures condemned in a letter the festival’s “silence on the genocide of Palestinians.

The letter was drafted by the Film Workers for Palestine collective, with signatories including Javier Bardem, Tilda Switon and Adam McKay.

Director Tricia Tuttle, responsible for the festival’s creative direction and management, firmly rejected the accusations, describing some of them as “misinformation” and “inaccurate.”

The conservative Christian Democratic Union resumes on Saturday its federal party conference, after a first successful day which saw the reelection of Chancellor Friedrich Merz as party leader.

The conference is taking place in the southwestern city of Stuttgart, where state elections are scheduled on March 8.

The conference is due to discuss on Saturday several motions, following numerous political proposals discussed in preparation. 

Markus Söder, the leader of CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), is among those due to attend on Saturday.

Good morning from Bonn, where we will be bringing you the latest on Germany on this cloudy weekend.

On Saturday, the conservative CDU party is set to resume its federal party conference in Stuttgart, after Chancellor Friedrich Merz was reelected as party leader on Friday.

Meanwhile, several German cities are due to see pro-EU demonstrations.

And in the evening, the 76th Berlinale festival will wrap after comments by its jury president unleashed a storm of criticism.

Stay tuned as we keep you posted on all things Germany!