A tragic attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg has left five dead and over 200 injured after a car plowed into a crowd.

The suspect, a Saudi-born doctor living in Germany since 2006, had reportedly been flagged by authorities for extremist views.

The incident has reignited debates on public safety and the effectiveness of Germany's security measures.

Police unions and politicians are calling for increased surveillance, better coordination among security agencies, and reforms to address overlapping responsibilities.

A special parliamentary session is set for December 30 to investigate the handling of prior warnings about the suspect.

Critics argue that existing systems failed to prevent the attack despite prior knowledge of the suspect's radicalization.