News of the day: Friedrich Merz at the BDA, CDU does not want to vote for Ulrich Siegmund, footballer Vinicius Souza

Germany is 30 years too late when it comes to capital pensions. A statutory capital pension would increase pension benefits and reduce contribution rates, said Merz. However, higher contributions are initially necessary in order to build up a capital stock. The end of early retirement without deductions also makes pensions fairer, said the Chancellor. There it was, the swipe. It was aimed at the SPD, in which there was increasingly clear resistance to the abolition of the “pension at 63”. Merz hopes for stable contribution rates in the long term. All social security systems have never been reformed at the same time. He knows what this demands of people, but he wants to make it fair. After the swipe, the outstretched hand in the direction of the coalition partner? A compromise will be found, is the message.

In December, AfD politician Ulrich Siegmund wants to stand for election as Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt and is hoping for votes from the CDU in this election. At least he keeps whispering that he has the voices together.

The CDU parliamentary group does not want to expose itself to suspicion of helping a right-wing populist into office and reacted: Their representatives should leave the hall in this election, reports my colleague Fabian Hillebrand. The decision was made by 14 out of 15 MPs today. The calculation is that no one can assume that they will vote for the AfD like that. And dissenters would have to make themselves known.

The footballer Vinicius Souza is on the rise in sports: the 27-year-old Brazilian is one of the top performers at second division club VfL Wolfsburg. He played in all seven games of the season and scored two goals. Coach Tobias Strobl uses him as a clearer.

Off the pitch there is a risk of trouble from his time in England, report my colleague Sara Wess and my colleague Peter Ahrens. Accordingly, he is said to have rented two luxury cars but did not pay for them. Aldermore Bank demanded around 220,000 pounds (around 260,000 euros) in November 2025, due immediately. The bank sold the Mercedes at a loss; For the Ferrari, which the car insurance company only partially paid for after it was totaled, a remaining claim of over 197,000 pounds remained outstanding. Today Souza had to appear before the High Court of Justice in London. He did not respond to a SPIEGEL query.

Souza has been traveling in Europe since 2020, Wolfsburg is his fifth stop. In terms of sport, Souza's start with Lower Saxony was bumpy: the professional, who was signed by Sheffield United for 15 million euros in 2025, initially played unusually in the eighth position and was soon considered a bad purchase. It was only under Dieter Hecking that he became a regular player in his favorite position.

It is not known which car Souza currently occupies his favorite position in. Even if he is currently playing in Wolfsburg - it won't be a VW Golf.

Almost 155,000 people have signed the online call for “Hape Kerkeling as Federal President,” and in an interview with my colleagues Ulrike Knöfel and Carola Padtberg, the comedian and author appears moved: “The fact that someone started a petition and had the idea that a queer person should become head of state – I didn’t want to stop that. It certainly won't be successful, but it will lead to discussions that are good for a free society." The 61-year-old doesn't want to deny his interest in such an office, but remains reserved: "It wouldn't work without the CDU. And she will choose someone according to her ideas. Let’s hope that the choice falls on the right lady.«

If you live in Berlin, you could go to the Philharmonie. The young pianist Luca Sestak, born in Celle in 1995, is playing there this evening. The musician made it to the big stages as a music influencer.

Twenty years ago, as a teenager who first had to be “persuaded” by his parents to take piano lessons, he published his first videos on the Internet. He now has half a million followers.

Sestak masters all genres. He interprets Chopin and Bach as well as pop classics, and he also composes himself. His first album on the Act label will be released in spring 2027. If you like, just listen now and see how cool German jazz musicians can be.