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In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Imogen Goodman and Aaron Burnett, and writer and co-host of the Decades from Home podcast, Nic Houghton. 

A major news story this week has been Germany’s reluctance to give the green light to send so-called Leopard tanks to Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion.

We talk about how the international community heaped pressure on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, how Germany finally allowed for tanks to be sent to Ukraine, and what the German population thinks about it.  

• Ditherer or deal maker: Jurys out on Scholz’s tanks brinkmanship
• Germany gives greenlight for Leopard tank deliveries to Ukraine
• Are Germans really that pacifist anymore?

With the property tax deadline coming up, we talk about why it’s happening, what it means and how it can affect you (even if you don’t own your own home).

• The German property tax declaration owners need to know about

We get into why there’s a backlog of German citizenship applications, how long people are waiting, where it’s worst and what (if anything) is being done to get paperwork moving. 

• How enormous backlogs are delaying applications for German citizenship 

We also talk about why 2023 is a critical year for the retirement system in Germany and the concerns over pensions. 

• Why 2023 is a a critical year for Germany’s retirement system
• Could people in Germany soon be working until the age of 68?
• How long do you have to work to receive a German pension?

Making friends in Germany when you’ve moved from abroad can be tough. We ask Augsburg-based Nic Houghton, who came to Germany from the UK and is co-host of a podcast about life in the Bundesrepublik, how to go about building a social life. 

And back in the Berlin studio we chat about the different ways of making connections as an international in Germany – and why sincere friendships with Germans might take a little longer than you’re used to. 

• Eight rules for making friends in Germany

We hope you’re enjoying the Germany in Focus podcast. Please let us know if you found it helpful or if you have any feedback by emailing [email protected]. And don’t forget to share it, leave a comment or give us a rating on whichever platform you listen on. Thank you for your support!