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The ongoing struggle over forming a government in Berlin is not only about the capital's next coalition. Commentators point out that the outcome will also shape future power relations in the Bundesrat, Germany's chamber of the states. At the start of 2026, the Union held the post of minister-president in eight of the sixteen federal states, all of them men, and the Berlin negotiations could shift that balance.

German social media users are commenting that the Bild tabloid has helped end Jens Spahn's political career, with the phrase 'breaking his neck' used figuratively. The discussion touches on Spahn and the Union parties, expressing surprise that Bild, often an ally of conservative politicians, would turn on him. Details of what prompted the tabloid's stance remain sparse in the posts themselves.