Covid-19: Germany wants to toughen health legislation to be able to impose measures on the whole country

The German government will adopt a project next week to toughen health legislation in the fight against Covid-19 in order to be able to impose restrictions on the whole country, a spokeswoman announced on Friday.

This reform will make it possible to override, if necessary, regional or local resistance in this country to the federal system which gives important prerogatives in health matters to the Länder.

"Germany continues to be in the grip of the pandemic, the number of infections continues to climb, just like that of patients in intensive care, the country is in the middle of the third wave", indicated to the presses one of the spokespersons of the Chancellery Ulrike Demmer.

"As a result, the federal government and the Länder, in consultation with the parliamentary groups of the Bundestag, have agreed to amend the law on protection against infections and to regulate on a uniform federal basis the restrictions to be taken", he said. -she explains.

“The aim is to create uniform national rules,” she added, specifying that the amendment would be presented to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday.

Angela Merkel in favor of tougher restrictions

This initiative comes as the government and the powerful regions have been reflecting for several weeks an image of divisions and procrastination in the management of the health crisis.

Angela Merkel has been defending a firm line on restrictions for months, but she recently had to give up a little ballast in the face of the discontent of part of public opinion and regional states.

The long regular sessions of negotiations between the Chancellor and the 16 Länder, imposed by the rules of federalism, have recently shown their limits.

In mid-March, a night-time marathon of discussions had upset everyone and resulted in decisions, in particular a mini-foreclosure on Easter weekend, canceled 48 hours later.

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In the process, Angela Merkel attacked the regional barons who, according to her, do not respect the decisions adopted in consultation.

She threatened to take control of health policy.