Pisa results, suspicion of sabotage and draft budget for 2027

The performance of German students in the PISA 2025 study has fallen to its lowest level since the survey began. In mathematics, reading and science, the results of 15-year-olds are only around the average level of the OECD countries. This means that the values ​​are below those of the PISA study from 2022 and also below the results of the first survey from 2000. What is particularly striking is the proportion of young people with low basic skills. In addition, educational success in Germany remains heavily dependent on social background. In an international comparison, countries and regions in East Asia in particular achieve high results. Estonia, Canada and Switzerland also perform better than Germany in several areas. Martin Spiewak, editor in the education department at ZEIT, explains what is behind this development.

After several acts of sabotage on substations and power lines in Germany, the police have arrested a 48-year-old suspect. The man was caught near the Weisweiler power plant near Aachen. He is said to be responsible for attacks in North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg. According to current findings, the suspect is said to have tried to shoot wires over high-voltage lines using self-made devices and thus trigger short circuits. In at least two cases this resulted in damage to the power supply. Investigators found letters of confession and other firing devices. Christoph Heinemann, editor in the politics department at ZEIT, explains what motive could be behind the alleged crimes and what is known about the suspect so far.

Also in the update: Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil defended the draft budget for 2027 in the Bundestag. The budget provides for spending of 555.4 billion euros. Together with loans from special funds, new debt is expected to be a good 203 billion euros. Klingbeil justified the high level of borrowing with, among other things, investments in defense, infrastructure and climate neutrality.

And otherwise? Are sparrows threatened with extinction?