Who are the real decision-makers in the corona crisis? Not the politicians in the front row

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Thuringian State Chancellery Hoff (archive)

Photo: arifoto UG / picture alliance / dpa

November 18th is a wild day in the capital.

The Bundestag votes on the controversial Infection Protection Act.

Out on the street, the police are advancing with water cannons against recalcitrant corona deniers.

Inside, guests of AfD MPs pull through the parliament building and harass politicians from the other parties.

It is the time when the second wave of the virus grew ominously.

At the same time, those in power in the republic grapple with themselves and the pressing questions in this phase.

Only on the train ride from Erfurt to Berlin does Benjamin-Immanuel Hoff decide that he would like to say something now.

What does it take to stop the danger?

But also: Which cuts are people still going through in the country?

When does the mood change?

Only on the train ride from Erfurt to Berlin does Benjamin-Immanuel Hoff decide that he would like to say something now.

Public.

Audible.

That's how he tells it later.

In the afternoon he stands at the Federal Council's lectern with a piece of paper in front of him with a few bullet points.

Hoff begins:

"In what I want to say, I address myself in particular to those who follow this debate in the live stream or who will follow the debate later on the social networks."

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