Seven Observations

 1.  Maybe up until 20 years ago....there was only one subject/topic that you needed to avoid with Germans....that being Nazis/the war.  

I'd say today....the list of topics is getting near twenty-to-thirty (you should avoid any situation where AfD is brought up....don't discuss taxation crap....depending on the party---you might want to avoid a positive-negative talk about public TV or TV-taxes....etc).  

2.  The sugar tax is coming....1 July 2027.  What this amounts to?  A 1-liter Coke bottle (Rewe grocery) currently runs 1.59 Euro....when the full impact occurs....it'll be near 1.91 Euro....but you have VAT-up the increase (figure 6 cents)....so the bottle of Coke will be 1.97.  Figure 2027/2028 inflation?  A one-liter container will be 2.00 to 2.05.

Sugared-up ice tea (2 liter) will go to around 2.50 to 3.00 Euro....depending on the grocery.

I brought this up to the wife (German)....she's of the belief....for 90-percent of people, nothing will change.  They will drink sodas at the same rate, and pay the tax.  The marginally-getting-by folks?  She thinks they'd have to cut sugar drinks by 50-precent.  

Safe at this point?  Beer and wine.  Maybe some folks will flip from sugar-drinks to beer.

3.  Over the past week....lot of hype over the coalition of Merz...collapsing....with the SPD exiting.

Some belief for a short period....a minority-government might run (say for 3 to 6 months).

If I were speculating....the collapse would likely occur by early January, after the SPD chooses it's new leadership.

4.  New poll done in the NRW state.

So CDU would win....but they've lost around 8 points.  If the poll is accurate....CDU has to partner in a state-coalition with the SPD, and Greens....meaning highly diluted CDU brand in leadership.

Cause for this?  AfD is carving into CDU votes.

Election?  Still 7 months away.

5.  First indicators of student demonstrations (similar to France)....seen at a school in Berlin.  Demonstration size?  A pitiful 100.  But they blocked entry for everyone else.  They say more money needs to flow into the school.

6.  Some chatter starting up at the EU....debate over the right-to-asylum.  

7.  Long-term winter weather chatter for Germany?  Mostly....the weather guys are suggesting a more-than-normal mild winter....fairly wet (meaning rain....not snow).