New German "super-ministry" hopes to lure US researchers with cutting-edge science agenda

Why it matters: A new "grand coalition" is set to debut in the Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament. Led by Friedrich Merz, the incoming government plans to boost spending on science and technology - while extending a not-so-subtle invitation for ostracized US researchers to relocate and continue their work in Europe. Germany's three largest political parties have agreed to form a new government, uniting the center-right Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union with the center-left Social Democrats. While grand coalitions are nothing new, the incoming mix of ideologies includes some notably ambitious proposals for science and technology policymaking. The 144-page agreement - expected to win formal approval from all three parties in the coming weeks - outlines plans for a new "super-high-tech ministry" to oversee research, technology, and aerospace. The plan calls for splitting the current Ministry of Research and Education, transferring research responsibilities to the new m ... Read full article.