Is the traffic light coalition divided in its Corona policy? At least the FDP is deviating from the Scholz line on several points.
Berlin – Most new governments come into office with a great spirit of optimism. The parties involved announce that they are pulling together and want to make everything better together. This phenomenon could also be observed after the Bundestag elections. SPD, Greens and FDP proudly announced the first traffic light coalition at federal level. Now the three-way alliance is not even 100 days old, since it is already crunching. The FDP gives way – and deviates from the government line on several points.
Traffic light issue Corona rules: When do how many measures end?
The biggest point of contention is the pandemic policy. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the prime ministers recently announced a three-stage plan for easing. On March 20th, the day on which the Infection Protection Act expires, many corona measures are to be lifted. According to the will of the country heads, so-called “basic protection measures” should remain in place.
The Chancellor pledged to work to ensure that regulations on masks, distance and other protective measures remain possible even after “Freedom Day”. The FDP was only willing to do this when it was compulsory to wear a mask. “I don’t use the word basic protection measures,” said party leader Christian Lindner on Sunday in ARD’s “Report from Berlin”. The Greens want to keep at least one “tool box”.
The point of contention seems to be how to react to a worsening of the pandemic (which is currently not foreseeable, at least in the medium term). The designated FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Saai said New Osnabrück newspaper, one should not “permanently, so to speak, in reserve, repeatedly extend such freedom-restricting measures”. Should the infection process change again substantially, the Bundestag is “capable of acting at any time” anyway.
Traffic light issue “Freedom Day”: FDP brought the term into play
In addition, there are some MPs among the Free Democrats who openly speak of a “Freedom Day”, such as the Bavarian parliamentary group leader Martin Hagen, member of the federal executive board. This means a kind of holiday in honor of the end of the measures. In some countries like Sweden or Great Britain there was already a “Freedom Day”.
Scholz did not want to adopt this term at the last Prime Ministers’ Conference: Such buzzwords are “not appropriate to the seriousness of the situation”. FDP politicians like Stephan Thomae also see it that way. The Parliamentary Secretary said Merkur.de: “The term could give the wrong idea that the pandemic is over.” Nevertheless, it was also the FDP that made the term socially acceptable.
Already at the end of October there were first calls for such a day. By the way, Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann was already talking about March 20th. At this point, however, the FDP also attracted attention with several incorrect assessments of the corona virus.
Traffic light issue of compulsory vaccination: FDP sees Scholz plans critically
There is also disagreement about the general obligation to vaccinate. Scholz had already advanced on this point before he was even officially sworn in as chancellor. He and the prime ministers recently emphasized again that general vaccination must come. There is no FDP politician among the 16 state leaders. The liberals are much more skeptical about the mandatory corona vaccination. This was recently shown by a survey among the members of the Bundestag, in which the majority of the FDP positioned themselves against compulsory vaccination.
General corona vaccination obligation: These models are being discussed
- The federal and state governments want to continue to adhere to the general obligation to vaccinate. That will be decided in the Bundestag, where a non-affiliated vote is planned for mid-March. Several applications are under discussion, such as: no compulsory vaccination, compulsory vaccination on demand, compulsory vaccination from the age of 18, compulsory vaccination from the age of 50.
The FDP is most critical of compulsory vaccinations from the age of 18. Scholz, Minister of Health Lauterbach and large parts of the SPD are considered friends of this proposed law, which the FDP politicians Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann and Katrin Helling-Plahr also helped to draft. The FDP in turn was responsible for the 50s model. In the draft law Merkur.de is available, it says clearly: compulsory vaccination for everyone is “no alternative”.
There are also some FDP politicians who are completely against compulsory vaccination, such as party leader Wolfgang Kubicki. He recently said: “The vaccination requirement from the age of 18 is dead.” Justice Minister Buschmann also rejected Scholz’s preferences. He said that mirror: “In my opinion, only important legal interests of the general public, such as preventing an overload of the public health system, can justify such an intervention. One can doubt whether this is actually still a threatening danger at the moment.”
Traffic light point of contention RKI: FDP counts Wieler publicly
There was also a traffic light dispute with Lothar Wieler. The head of the Robert Koch Institute was recently caught in the crossfire of the FDP. In mid-January, the adjustment of the recovered status caused confusion and criticism. The RKI announced it almost overnight after it had been delegated decision-making power by the Federal Council (under the direction of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach). The FDP then spoke of Wieler’s “recent misconduct” and publicly questioned the RKI boss. Quite piquant when you consider that the RKI is subordinate to the SPD-led Ministry of Health. Wieler, in turn, could be sure of the support of the SPD and the Greens.
However, Health Minister Lauterbach was also criticized by FDP politicians. Leading liberals such as parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr clearly criticized the adjustment of the recovered status – and thus put Lauterbach through the wringer. FDP Vice Kubicki recently made an official request to the SPD-led Ministry of Health. Even if it is also about the time of the previous government, such inquiries to the federal government are usually made primarily by the opposition. Not from your own coalition.
Traffic light dispute about “obstacles” FDP? Linder party shows: “We are different”
The FDP deviates from the government line on several points. While the SPD and the Greens seem to be following the same political line, at least as far as corona policy is concerned, the Free Democrats are giving way. The political scientist Albrecht von Lucke is not surprised, as he described to the ARD. The business basis of the FDP differs fundamentally from that of the SPD and the Greens. “In doing so, she becomes something of a thwart on her own account, because she makes it clear: ‘We are different.'”
This policy may resonate with its own constituency, but it could also harm the federal government as a whole. In a recent survey, more people would like a Jamaica coalition without the SPD – an alliance in which the FDP would also be involved. (as)
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