Ido Vock, Freelance Journalist Profile

Articles

Merz’s chaotic election is a win for the AfD

1 week ago | spectator.com.au | Ido Vock

Friedrich Merz has been elected German chancellor at the second time of trying – the first time someone in his position has failed to be elected on the first attempt. The centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader received 325 votes, nine more than the 316 that constitute an absolute majority in the Bundestag.
Merz's chaotic election is a win for the AfD

1 week ago | spectator.co.uk | Ido Vock

Friedrich Merz has been elected German chancellor at the second time of trying – the first time someone in his position has failed to be elected on the first attempt. The centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader received 325 votes, nine more than the 316 that constitute an absolute majority in the Bundestag. In the first vote this morning, Merz received just 310 votes. That was despite his coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) holding some 328 seats in parliament.
LISTED: The items you can't carry in your car in Germany

1 month ago | thelocal.de | Ido Vock

Most motorists in Germany will know by now what they need to have with them on the road: a valid driver’s licence, a vehicle registration document, a warning triangle, a high-visibility vest, and a functional first aid kit. These essentials should stay in your car at all times, since you'll need to present them to police officer if asked. But what about items you are not allowed to have with you?
How easy is it to hit the salary for a skilled worker permit in Germany?

1 month ago | thelocal.de | Ido Vock

Faced with an aging population, Germany is currently desperate to attract the best and brightest from abroad into its economy - either as students, as jobseekers, or on one of its skilled worker visas. Skilled worker permits are work permits for people with vocational training or a university degree who want to come to Germany to work in their chosen profession.
What drivers in Germany should know about government's plans

1 month ago | thelocal.de | Ido Vock

“Roads and cars are important means of transportation, especially for people in rural areas,” the agreement reads, setting the tone for a package of motorist-friendly policies. For speed junkies, there was some good news, as the coalition has agreed not to introduce a speed limit on limit-free sections of the Autobahn. The SPD had pushed for a limit of 130km/h, but were blocked by the CDU and CSU.
Will Germany's new government keep the 'Deutschlandticket'?

1 month ago | thelocal.de | Ido Vock

The coalition agreement between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democrats (SPD), signed on Wednesday, pledges to continue the Deutschlandticket scheme - although there will be further price increases for users in the future. “The proportion of user funding will be increased gradually and in a socially responsible manner from 2029,” the agreement reads.
'Distant prospect': Why Germany is struggling to get admin procedures online

1 month ago | thelocal.de | Ido Vock

Two years after a legal deadline for hundreds of bureaucratic procedures to be made available online, fewer than a third are available electronically across Germany, a new study has found. The German Economic Institute (IW) study found that of the 575 administrative services that were supposed to be available online by the end of 2022 in accordance with the 2017 Online Access Act (OZG), only 166 were available everywhere in the country as of January 2025.
Why does Trump want Greenland and what do its people think?

2 months ago | ca.news.yahoo.com | Ido Vock

Why does Trump want Greenland and what do its people think? Greenland residents head to the polls on Tuesday after Prime Minister Mute Egede called early parliamentary elections. The vote comes after US President Donald Trump restated his desire to take over the island - currently controlled by Denmark - telling Congress that it was bound to become a US territory "one way or another".
Why does Trump want Greenland and what do its people think?

2 months ago | yahoo.com | Ido Vock

Greenland residents head to the polls on Tuesday after Prime Minister Mute Egede called early parliamentary elections. The vote comes after US President Donald Trump restated his desire to take over the island - currently controlled by Denmark - telling Congress that it was bound to become a US territory "one way or another". Almost all the political parties taking part in the election back independence from Denmark, but disagree on how quickly it should happen. AdvertisementWhere is Greenland?
Why does Trump want Greenland and what do its people think?

2 months ago | aol.com | Ido Vock

US President Donald Trump has repeated his intention to take over Greenland, the Arctic territory controlled by Denmark. He told Congress that Greenland was bound to become a US territory, and that his administration was working hard to "get it - one way or another". Trump says he is 'just getting started' in speech to US CongressWhere is Greenland? Greenland, the world's largest island, is located in the Arctic. It is also the most sparsely populated territory.