Icon: enlarge
Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow at a session in the state parliament (archive image)
Photo: Jacob Schröter / imago images / Jacob Schröter
On Wednesday, the Chancellor will consult with the Prime Ministers about the situation in the corona pandemic.
Now Thuringia's father Bodo Ramelow (left) criticizes the way the group works.
The country bosses should "be aware of their function and the limits of their competencies when coping with the pandemic," wrote Ramelow on Tuesday in a statement made available to SPIEGEL.
The Prime Minister would like the parliaments to play a more important role in the future.
Ramelow criticized the fact that draft resolutions in the round with Merkel would be introduced "at extremely short notice" and then "particularly aggressive measures" would be negotiated and decided.
"I am not a subordinate authority of the Chancellery."
Bodo Ramelow, Prime Minister of Thuringia
Before the most recent Prime Minister's conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), the country leaders received a template from there at 10:50 a.m. for a meeting that had already started at 2 p.m., Ramelow also told the editorial network Germany.
The basic rules of parliamentarism must be taken into account again.
"I'm not a subordinate authority to the Chancellery," said Ramelow.
The request to speak is preceded by a lengthy debate on a stronger role for the legislature.
Politicians from all camps have long been demanding that the Bundestag and the state parliaments should be given more say in corona policy.
So far, the federal and state governments have essentially designed the corona measures by ordinance.
"Restrict the scope of the state governments"
Last week, Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble presented the parliamentary groups with proposals for future parliamentary participation.
He warned "that the Bundestag must make its role as legislator and public forum clear".
Ramelow now welcomed Schäuble's work - and at the same time called for the role of the Prime Minister's Conference to be put to the test.
The group of country leaders is assuming an important structuring task in the ongoing pandemic management.
"However, they must not overstrain this task," writes Ramelow.
The prime ministers will meet with Merkel on Wednesday to discuss new steps in the fight against the pandemic.
New tightening is expected: In a draft for a proposed resolution that SPIEGEL has received, there is talk of a "gradual shutdown of public and economic life".
Icon: The mirror
mrc / Reuters
