Germany: Technical error triggers early cigarette tax hike; AfD unveils EU reform plan

Germany's Finance Ministry announced that a technical error caused a scheduled cigarette tax increase to take effect months earlier than planned, creating a minor fiscal disruption. Separately, AfD co-chair Alice Weidel is set to present a 'New Deal for Europe' in Strasbourg, signaling a shift in the party's EU policy approach. The tax error is a low-impact administrative issue, while the AfD proposal could influence German and EU political discourse.