Suggestions by some virologists are often incorporated into corona policy. Kretschmann now opposed it and asked her not to get involved.
Munich – Christian Drosten, Klaus Stöhr, Hendrik Streeck and many more: Due to the corona pandemic, several virologists and immunologists have increased their audience significantly. After all, they are the experts who know the matter best and whose wise assessments and suggestions can offer a way out of the pandemic. The new Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) even comes from their ranks. His statements were also followed with suspense again and again.
Politicians often fall back on the statements and opinions of these people. If not directly, they are therefore significantly involved in shaping corona policy. The Baden-Württemberg Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) now contradicted this. He asked the virologists not to get involved in corona politics. In addition to the interference of the virologists in the pandemic policy, he also criticized his party’s election campaign.
Corona policy: Kretschmann against the influence of virologists – “Assessment of the duty of politicians to vaccinate”
From Kretschmann’s point of view, scientists such as virologists should stay out of politics. “Max Weber pointed out that science describes the world as it was, is and will be. They can also describe how one could change the world. But science cannot say whether the world should also be changed,” said the Green politician Heilbronner voice and the southern courier.
However, Kretschmann pointed out that the scientists should definitely have the authority to interpret their subject. “But you should stick with it and refrain from giving political advice,” said the Green politician. The Prime Minister warned that this could significantly affect their scientific authority.
“For example, whether mandatory vaccination now creates political collateral damage – which it will undoubtedly do – it is not in the competence of Stiko or whoever to assess that,” said Kretschmann. Rather, it is a competence and task of the politicians who were elected for this – not the epidemiologists. Since “a lot has slipped”. He may also be referring to the statements made by the chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko), Thomas Mertens. The chairman had previously spoken out against a general corona vaccination requirement.
Green Party Congress: Kretschmann targets his party’s election campaign – “We made us too small”
In addition, the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg settled accounts with his party’s federal election campaign at the Green Party Congress. “During the election campaign, we made ourselves too small,” he stated in a video message to the virtual event. Economic issues and jobs were not the focus enough, the Greens were perceived as a “supplementary party”. From his point of view, the party absolutely has to open up new groups of voters.
“We started the election campaign as an alliance party and ended up as a milieu party,” criticized Winfried Kretschmann. The connection to the economy is particularly important. His party must be “business-friendly”. The only green Prime Minister also demanded: “We have to balance our change message even more with a promise of security.” That happened too little in the election campaign. The Greens must show that they are not concerned with change for the sake of change, but with preserving what people hold dear. (bb with material from dpa)
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