"That hurts our hearts" - Voices from politics, business and sport on the November shutdown

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No more guests: the gastronomy has to close again in November

Photo: Sabine Gudath / imago images

In the fight against the corona virus, public life is being partially shut down again - this is what Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Ministers decided to do.

Social contacts are restricted, restaurants and hotels have to close in November.

Sports and cultural events are also affected by the measures.

While the Chancellor considers the new regulations to be inevitable in the fight against the pandemic, criticism is rising from those affected and the opposition.

Legal problems

FDP politician

calls on those affected by the Corona restrictions to take legal action against the decisions.

He thinks the new measures are "partially illegal," said the Bundestag Vice President in the "Rheinische Post".

Merkel and the prime ministers have enforced restrictions "that have already been lifted several times by the courts," criticized Kubicki.

In his view, "those involved consciously ignore the separation of powers". 

Chancellery chief

(CDU) defends the drastic corona measures - and he is "firmly convinced" that they would stand up in court.

The measures are necessary for health reasons, which is why the courts would also recognize this.

"We now have to go ahead as politicians with a clear signal, because acting early ultimately enables us to act more leniently," Braun told Deutschlandfunk.

Parliamentary participation 

The fact that the new guidelines were issued without parliamentary participation has met with fierce criticism from the AfD.

The parliamentary group leader

speaks of a "corona cabinet" that has decided "in the name of the health of the citizens, the greatest restrictions on freedom in the history of this republic".

Only the Bundestag "has to rule on restrictions on fundamental rights and nobody else," said Gauland. 

FDP leader

criticizes the fact that parliament was not involved in the Corona resolutions.

Even if one comes to the conclusion that "far-reaching restrictions on fundamental rights" are necessary to control the pandemic, the measures in the Bundestag should "not only be commented on, but taken in a public session after a hard, argumentative discussion", said Lindner. 

The SPD parliamentary group leader

however, defends the new measures.

These are legitimate.

A far-reaching authorization of the executive is "a possibility for a time", it serves to protect the population.

"The time in which we need maximum flexibility from the executive is not over yet," warns Mützenich. 

gastronomy 

Restaurants, cafes and bars should close from Monday for the whole of November.

Excepted from this: delivery and collection of food for consumption at home, canteens should also be allowed to open.

The

calls the resolutions "bitter" and demands a quick and unbureaucratic disbursement of the promised billions in aid.

Finance Minister

(SPD) had announced an aid package from the federal government.

The chairman of the

, Guido Zeitler, expects more support for employees on short-time work.

With the new lockdown, hundreds of thousands of employees in the catering industry would have to work short-time again, Zeitler told the newspapers of the Funke media group.

"In the restaurant business in particular, employees also live off tips that are now no longer available," he explained. 

Chancellery chief

the controversial closure of restaurants.

"We have to prioritize, of course," he said.

"But we have to reduce contacts somewhere."

The companies would receive 75 percent of the turnover of last November from the state.

That is very, very expensive, but certainly appropriate to help those affected through the tough month, said Braun.

Sports

Dagmar Freitag

, Chairwoman of the

, regrets the new Corona restrictions in the sports sector.

"I'm not very happy with it," said the SPD politician to Deutschlandfunk.

On Friday, "there are no known events in the last few weeks that have subsequently developed into a hotspot."

The extensive catalog of measures to combat the pandemic includes, among other things, that sporting events will be completely cut back until further notice.

"My great concern is that with such far-reaching resolutions we will lose public acceptance," said Freitag. 

The

also reacted to the measures with great regret.

"That hurts our hearts," said Joti Chatzialexiou from the DFB in a media round.

"But we also have to keep an eye on the big picture and perhaps withdraw ourselves for the benefit of society and people. I just hope that this is only the case for a very, very short period of time," said Chatzialexiou.

tourism

The tourism and hotel industries are also affected by the restrictions.

Andreas Mattner, President of the

, explained that the measures should not affect those who behaved in an exemplary manner in terms of hygiene and the prevention of infections.

Mattner argued that neither shops nor hotels were infection drivers.

The new measures in the tourist areas are "legally questionable" and would lead to lawsuits.

Ingrid Hartges, the general manager of the

, insists on the promised aid package.

"It is more than consistent that compensation is given here when our industry is closed so that the general economy does not experience a lockdown and schools remain open," Hartges said on Thursday to the German press agency.

It is now important that this help for gastronomy, hotel and catering industry is made available quickly and unbureaucratically.

Culture

The

warns of a cultural deforestation.

Because cultural institutions such as cinemas and theaters should also remain closed in November.

"Especially smaller and not publicly funded houses will not survive this new and completely unnecessary blow to the bow," says an open letter from the Federal Drama Association.

According to the association, the corona protective measures plunged the actors into an "existential crisis".

Closing theaters even though they "pose no risk" is neither sensible nor sensible. 

State

for

Culture

(CDU) is now calling for an aid package for the culture and event industry.

The "Bild" she said: "It's a matter of life and death for the industry. The artists and creative people have behaved extremely fairly throughout the crisis, even though it affects their lifeblood."

Grütters expects that the industry will now get the same help as was promised to the catering trade.

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