Germany news 2017

Here are some of the major news stories from Germany in 2017:

Politics

• Angela Merkel's CDU party won the federal election in September, but lost its majority in the Bundestag. Merkel was re-elected as Chancellor, but had to form a coalition government with the SPD and FDP parties.
• The AfD (Alternative for Germany) party entered the Bundestag for the first time, winning 94 seats and becoming the third-largest party in the parliament.
• The German government introduced a new law to combat hate speech and fake news on social media platforms.

Economy

• Germany's economy grew by 2.2% in 2017, making it one of the strongest in the EU.
• The country's unemployment rate fell to a record low of 5.5% in November.
• The German government announced plans to increase military spending to 1.5% of GDP by 2025.

Immigration and Refugees

• Germany's refugee intake continued to decline in 2017, with around 280,000 asylum seekers arriving in the country.
• The German government introduced a new law to speed up the asylum process and deport more rejected asylum seekers.
• There were several high-profile cases of violence and discrimination against refugees and migrants in Germany in 2017.

Crime and Justice

• A series of attacks on migrants and refugees in the city of Chemnitz sparked widespread outrage and protests in Germany.
• The German government introduced new laws to combat terrorism and extremism, including a ban on the far-right group "Identitäre Bewegung".
• A high-profile trial began in Munich in November, involving several suspects accused of planning a terrorist attack on a shopping mall.

Environment and Energy

• Germany's Energiewende (Energy Transition) program continued to make progress, with the country generating over 40% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2017.
• The German government announced plans to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2038.
• There were several major environmental protests in Germany in 2017, including a large demonstration in Berlin against the government's climate policies.

Sports

• Germany's national football team won the Confederations Cup in June, defeating Chile 1-0 in the final.
• The German national team also reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia, where they were eliminated by Mexico.
• The Bundesliga (German football league) saw several high-profile transfers and signings in 2017, including the arrival of Neymar at Bayern Munich.

Culture

• The German government announced plans to invest €1 billion in the arts and culture sector in 2017.
• The Berlinale film festival took place in February, featuring a number of high-profile premieres and awards.
• The German city of Hamburg hosted the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, which opened in January and quickly became a major cultural attraction.

These are just a few of the major news stories from Germany in 2017. If you're looking for more information on a specific topic, feel free to ask!