For a long time, the German corona policy got lost in detail.
But suddenly it becomes existential: New warnings from Angela Merkel's government are a club blow for the economy.
Is there a breakthrough?
Comprehensive concepts were announced - but even at the most recent Corona summit, top German politics only delivered piecemeal.
Suddenly there are drastic warnings: Statements from the Union are likely to unsettle parts of the economy.
It is still unclear whether it is only about a dispute between the federal government and the federal states, or whether a breakthrough will actually be mandatory.
A virologist also interferes.
Update from December 1:
The federal government is
suddenly putting massive pressure
on itself and the economy in the
corona lockdown
:
Chancellor Angela Merkel
, her right-hand man
Helge Braun
(both CDU), but also several prime ministers are now openly speaking of an
end to the extensive economic aid
(see Initial report).
But it is precisely this unexpected change of heart that has been criticized by experts.
He considers Braun's warning "not only wrong, but even dangerous at this point," said
Jens Südekum
, professor of economics, the daily newspaper
taz
.
“The pandemic will be over in the foreseeable future.
Saying now that we have to step on the brakes when it comes to aid will seriously unsettle business people, ”he explained.
The
Chancellery
should be
extremely careful
with statements about the end of the ability to act
, he warned.
Südekum also contradicted
demands for higher taxes
.
“To finance the corona crisis, we don't need any additional taxes, but should essentially pay them off through economic growth.” Given the interest rates, the state even earns from additional debt.
Also
Philippsheim Berger
, an economist of the Austrian University of Linz, called Merkel's warning in a tweet as "unfounded".
The national debt of Germany is lower than after the financial crisis, the interest rates are at a record low: "No problem to continue the aid from state funds."
Merkel has warned that the 🇩🇪 government may not be able to provide Corona help programs until the very end.
This is unsubstantiated: Public debt to GDP in 2020 will be lower than after financial crisis;
Interest payments are at record lows.
No problem to extend fiscal support.
pic.twitter.com/WXSnxUGbzC
- Philipp Heimberger (@heimbergecon) December 1, 2020
Because Merkel's government “didn't deliver”?
Breakthrough or fiasco - the corona dispute suddenly becomes existential
+
Is the solution hidden in the files?
Angela Merkel after the Corona summit at the end of November.
© Odd Andersen / dpa
Initial report: Berlin / Munich
- At least for the period up to the beginning of January,
Angela Merkel's Corona Round has taken
the most necessary cornerstones of the crisis measures.
But just in time for the dispute over the measures, a very fundamental,
almost existential dispute is
boiling up
in Berlin
.
Much more significant than the quarrel about hotel overnight stays at Christmas: Several government politicians are warning of the
end of the flagpole for expensive Corona aid
.
A horror scenario for the economy - or is it the rhetorical preparation for the long promised big political throw?
It still seems unclear whether this is just about a struggle to
distribute
the
burden between the federal and state governments
- or whether the German economy is threatened with bad news.
In any case, a way out of the
yo-yo effect of the corona lockdowns
is suddenly being
sought
.
But it is precisely here that top German politics have to accept bitter criticism.
She “did not deliver,” explained the
well-known virologist Alexander Kekulé
.
And immediately suggested a suitable concept.
Much hope rests on a new vaccine.
Corona in Germany: Laschet warns of financial debacle - State soon to be “broken”, society and economy at the end of their tether?
NRW Prime Minister and
Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet
(CDU) called for completely
new concepts in the corona pandemic
on Monday
.
As early
as January
: "Society and the economy will not hold out for another year like this," Laschet told the
Rheinische Post
.
From the turn of the year, “smart concepts should enable long-term prospects for living with the pandemic,” he said.
"With the approval of the vaccine, these concepts are realistic."
Laschet went on to say: “We can
not shut everything down permanently
, and the state pays billions in outages month after month.
A new model will be necessary from the new year.
Permanent closings and subsequent compensation payments
destroy the state in the long run
. "
Corona crisis: Merkel's head of the chancellery makes gloomy prognosis - Söder also sees the end of the flagpole approaching
Angela Merkel's head of the Chancellery, Helge Braun
(CDU)
, indicated something similar
.
"The state is not able to act indefinitely," said Braun, referring to the
current aid for companies and the self-employed
.
It is true that the federal government must “provide new impulses” in the coming year if necessary - but, according to Braun, these should be geared more towards the fixed costs of those affected than, as previously, towards sales.
"We have to work out more targeted help by January," he told the newspaper.
Possibly also a reaction to recent sharp criticism of the payments.
Braun also made a
gloomy forecast
.
Despite the previous federal aid in the billions, he expects
noticeable corona damage to the economy
.
“The state can help so that the majority of companies get through the crisis.
But it will not remain without consequences, "said Braun the
Handelsblatt
on Monday.
The Corona crisis will leave "significant marks" on the economy.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder
(CSU)
also joined the choir of Mahner and Warner
.
"No country in the world pays as much compensation as Germany," said Söder, referring to the state bridging aid.
“We can't do it endlessly like this.” At the same time, he rejected
two proposals for a solution
:
Higher taxes
- as suggested by the SPD - could not be made with the Union.
And the states could not step in for the federal government, said Söder on Sunday at the Junge Union.
Dispute over corona costs: Open dispute with the CDU - "are no longer ready to watch your goings-on!"
But it may (also) be about exactly this point: the distribution of the burdens between the federal and state governments.
According to participants, there was
an open dispute
in a
CDU presidium meeting
on Monday
.
After information,
Hesse's Prime Minister Volker Bouffier
(CDU) addressed the
Union parliamentary group leader Brinkhaus
and said: "I will tell you very clearly, we are no longer ready to watch your goings-on!"
The Prime Minister also said to Brinkhaus: "You obviously have no idea about the crisis management of the countries." He added: "I have been met personally!"
Party circles also
confirmed
Bouffier's criticism of Brinkhaus by the
AFP
news
agency
.
Brinkhaus demands that the federal states share
in
the costs of the compensation payments to the economy
if the partial lockdown continues
- and recently criticized the decisions of the Corona summit.
Merkel and Länder “did not deliver”: the virologist criticizes TV - and suggests a concept himself
In any case, the pressure for more comprehensive solutions in the pandemic is increasing.
The
virologist Alexander Kekulé
at the TV broadcaster
Phoenix
recently commented
accordingly
.
He does not think that switching between lockdown and relaxation makes sense, said the expert.
"We will not be able to cope with that psychologically, socially and economically," emphasized Kekulé in the program "Corona checked".
What is needed is a more continuous concept.
“The Prime Minister and the Chancellor had actually announced before the last meeting that they wanted to develop something like this.
But I have to say: My impression is that they didn't deliver. ”A
new concept
would then have to do without the closure of restaurants, culture and schools.
Three key points are necessary for this: the
protection of risk groups
, the
definition of "essential areas of life"
such as traffic and shopping - where safety must be guaranteed - and the
prevention of super-spreading
through
masks or tests
at events with more than 20 people.
Private organizers of parties and the like could also be obliged to document the participants.
Coronavirus in Germany: Will the vaccine save politics and people in the country?
Hope remains
Meanwhile, Braun tried to show a
positive outlook
.
"The pandemic will lose its horror in the next year," said the
CDU politician to
the
Handelsblatt
.
“As a society, we have to keep going through December and the months up to March by observing the AHA rules and reducing our contacts.
Where that is not enough, cuts are inevitable.
Then spring will come and hopefully the vaccine too. "
Kekulé made a similar statement: According to his “working hypothesis”,
vaccination could pick up speed in
2021, parallel to the
containment of the virus
due to the warmer season, he said.
With a bit of luck, the coronavirus will no longer return to society on a large scale next autumn.
(
fn / dpa / AFP
) *
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