Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron will co-chair a Franco-German Ministerial Council in Toulon, the first since Germany’s government change. Ten ministers from each side will join to focus on economic and security policy, with both leaders calling their partnership central to Europe's future. Such meetings are usually held once or twice a year, alternating between Germany and France as hosts, to align policies and initiatives. Meanwhile, Germany's defense and foreign affairs ministers are meeting counterparts in Copenhagen seeking to bolster support for Ukraine. Stay tuned for the latest news and analysis on a range of issues connected with Germany from Friday, August 29: Skip next section Number of electric cars on German roads nudges up 08/29/2025August 29, 2025 Number of electric cars on German roads nudges up The number of cars in Germany continues to rise, edging closer to the 50-million mark, though electric vehicles still account for only a small share. As of July 1, 3.7% of all cars registered in the country were fully electric, up from 3.1% a year earlier, the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) said. In new registrations, the share is much higher: in July, 18.4% of newly registered cars were electric. Volkswagen leads the market with more than 320,000 of the 1.8 million electric cars on German roads. Tesla follows with about 195,000, though the US company has recently struggled with sales in Germany, a downturn observers link to CEO Elon Musk’s political activities. Musk has since withdrawn from US politics. The total number of cars registered in Germany reached a record 49.5 million, up from 49.4 million the year before. Compact cars remain the largest group with 11.2 million, followed by SUVs at 6.89 million. Including trucks, buses, motorcycles, and tractors, the total number of motor vehicles stood at 61.4 million. https://p.dw.com/p/4zheH Copy link Skip next section Body found in suitcase near Stuttgart 08/29/2025August 29, 2025 Body found in suitcase near Stuttgart A heavily decomposed, partly skeletonized body has been discovered inside a suitcase in a residential area near the southern city of Stuttgart. The suitcase was reported near a playground by a stream on the outskirts of Filderstadt-Bonlanden, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Municipal workers who responded noticed a strong odor, opened the suitcase, and found the body. A 44-member special commission has been set up by the Esslingen criminal police to investigate. An autopsy on Friday is expected to provide more information about the victim’s gender, age, cause of death, and time of death. Police are appealing for witnesses and asking who may have noticed suspicious activity in the Bonlanden residential area in recent weeks, including anyone seen with a suitcase or any unusual vehicles.