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Chancellor Merkel, journalists Ludowig, Blome
Photo: Sandra Steins / dpa
In these days we are witnessing a rare political phenomenon: the Chancellor is broadcasting on all channels.
She explains and explains and explains her corona policy.
Whether, as recently, in front of the capital city journalists, this week in an ARD interview or in a video chat with parents and a conversation with RTL / n-tv this Thursday.
There is currently no escape from this crisis chancellor.
Of course, that's good when those in power explain their actions in order to take people along - as the saying goes.
This is something that Angela Merkel has done far too seldom in the last 16 years.
Only Merkel's current explanatory offensive is missing the decisive ingredients: the activating and motivating, the will to set out, yes maybe, the challenge to this virus.
In all of her appearances, the Chancellor does not develop the startling message, no momentum that carries us forward.
There is only the mantra of perseverance, coupled unfortunately with a lack of willingness to self-criticize.
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In an interview with RTL journalists Nikolaus Blome and Frauke Ludowig, she now emphasizes the speed in developing vaccines against Corona, despite the obvious vaccination debacle into which the fourth largest economy on earth has maneuvered: »I think it happened pretty quickly . "
Now it really is.
Nobody denies that either.
Science has delivered, with active financial support from the state.
But the EU Commission and the Federal Government did not draw the logical conclusions from this scientific parade: to order as much and as early as possible.
Instead, we negotiated a good price.
Congratulation.
And now we lack the material.
Bad luck.
"By and large," nothing went wrong, said Angela Merkel in an interview with ARD.
Yes, a lot went wrong.
As of today, not even one percent of the population has had both injections given.
"It is evidence of weakness that on the anniversary of this pandemic we are stuck in a twilight shutdown that has been going on for three months and are now hoping for an increase in the daily number of hours of sunshine."
She listened attentively to the parents and single parents who reported concerns and needs to the Chancellor in the video chat on Thursday afternoon, showing emotions.
And she said: "Just remember, with every day that the sun comes a little higher again, the chance that we will leave that behind is much better."
Yes, that's true too.
And it's meant well, it's compassionate.
But it is at the same time evidence of the weakness that on the anniversary of this pandemic we are stuck in a twilight shutdown that has been going on for three months and are now hoping for an increase in the daily number of hours of sunshine.
We're all slowly running out of breath, we're getting worn out.
The children, the schoolchildren, the parents, the self-employed, the cultural workers, the smaller and larger companies, the single people, the elderly.
The fact that the Chancellor also seems to run out of breath rhetorically and politically on this route makes her authentic, shows her from the human side.
But there is a problem.
Because she is the Chancellor.
Last spring, Angela Merkel hit the right note with her TV address - it was her first ever - with around 25 million people watching her: "It's serious, take it seriously."
Do you notice what?
You may remember it.
That speaks for the effect of the appearance.
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But our current situation is far more dramatic than last spring: The vaccination debacle is throwing us back in the fight with the virus;
despite shutdowns, the incidence figures are not falling fast enough;
the mutations are spreading and will soon determine the scenery.
And what do we do then?
That question could come too late.
Instead, Angela Merkel should now clearly identify the three problems mentioned and draw the conclusions from them.
The numbers have to go down as long as the mutant still gives us time.
»It takes a turning point and a clearly marked goal - for example, an incidence of 25 or better below 10, like last year.
Instead of muddling through until there is enough vaccine. "
It depends not only on the actual shutdown measures, but also on the sense of community created by a Chancellor, for example: It's serious, let's take it seriously!
It takes a turning point and a clearly marked goal - for example, an incidence of 25 or better below 10 like last year.
Instead of muddling through until there is enough vaccine.
Why not proclaim a no-Covid strategy that does without a complete shutdown of the country and, above all, finally offers a real perspective on easing?
Merkel made it clear in the RTL interview that she, too, would like to see more effort, that she wants to push the incidence (well) below 50.
In the past, too, after several rounds with the Prime Minister, she has put on record that she had hoped more that the round lacked consistency.
That might be enough in the retrospective for a good premium in the history books :, à la: She always warned, but the others just didn't want to.
But it is not enough for the now.
In the coming days, leading up to the Prime Minister's Conference on Wednesday, the members of the easing club will mobilize.
It will say: The numbers are falling, we are regionally already below the incidence 50, let's open up.
If that happens, we may have to pay with a third wave and another, more serious, permanent shutdown.
Children, parents, the self-employed, all of those already mentioned, will have to bear the costs.
“So if Angela Merkel is convinced that the incidences have to be pushed down more clearly and more quickly before they can be relaxed, then she has to fight for it.
Then she has to use all her remaining power resources as Chancellor. "
So if Angela Merkel is convinced that the incidences need to be pushed down more clearly and faster before they can be relaxed, then she has to fight for it.
Then she must use all her remaining power resources as Chancellor.
To say afterwards that that is actually not enough doesn't count.
Will she fight that through this time?
One last example: In the RTL interview, Merkel speaks about the old people who are so urgently waiting for the vaccination.
Until then, it is essential to comply with all protective rules, especially in nursing homes: "We have to be very, very careful now so that not so many people die in the last few meters."
What's wrong with the sentences?
Nothing.
What is missing?
The look ahead that Merkel neglects.
The aforementioned momentum is missing.
Because as soon as the old and the elderly in this country are vaccinated, the easing debate will turn up, guaranteed.
The old are protected, will it then be called what is still holding us?
This attitude, coupled with a high mutant-driven incidence, will once again fill the intensive care units of this country.
Then it will be the turn of the 40 to 65 year olds.
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