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Angela Merkel (on Tuesday): The Chancellor said that the federal government could take the initiative itself - for example by changing the Infection Protection Act
Photo: MARKUS SCHREIBER / AFP
According to a government spokesman, the federal government is considering nationwide measures if the states do not fight the corona pandemic resolutely.
"The countries have all the tools at their disposal," said a spokesman on Saturday when asked.
"At the same time, consideration is being given to whether and how the federal government should make uniform guidelines if the federal states' actions are not sufficient to stop the third wave."
In other words: The Federal Government is keeping open the possibility of stronger intervention in the Corona policy.
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) had already said last Sunday in the ARD program »Anne Will« that the federal states had to »step up« in fighting the pandemic.
She criticized easing steps and at the same time made it clear that the federal government - for example by changing the Infection Protection Act - could take the initiative itself.
Many countries have tightened their course after all
The background to the warning is the rising corona numbers reported by the Robert Koch Institute.
The RKI registered 18,129 new infections on Saturday and thus fewer than on Saturday last week (20,472).
The seven-day incidence fell to 131.4 from 134 the previous day.
However, the RKI itself points out that the reported figures are incomplete because of Good Friday and cannot be compared with the Saturday of the previous week.
According to the RKI, 120 other people have died in connection with the virus.
Chancellor Angela Merkel asked the federal states last Sunday to strictly apply the agreed "emergency brake" if the seven-day incidence rises above 100.
However, a number of federal states want to maintain certain openings in retail and prefer to combine them with compulsory testing.
Little by little, many countries had tightened their course this week in view of the increasing numbers.
According to the Infection Protection Act, the federal states are responsible for imposing corona measures.
In the case of "Anne Will", however, Merkel had indicated that the federal government could change the Infection Protection Act and prescribe certain measures for the states.
However, such an approach is also controversial in the government factions.
Criticism from the SPD
Meanwhile, SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich wanted concrete proposals from the Chancellor.
If Merkel wanted to take action, "I would like her not only to appear at" Anne Will ", but also to present concrete, feasible proposals," he told the "Passauer Neue Presse".
The Thuringian Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) suggested replacing the current corona crisis management of the Prime Minister's Conference (MPK) with a permanent crisis team with representatives from the federal and state levels.
The "disastrous" MPK one and a half weeks ago led to a great loss of trust among the population, wrote in a guest article for the magazine "Business Insider".
Therefore, ways urgently need to be found to relieve the group of operational crisis work, said Maier.
He argued that the MPK should be "provided with a permanent staff structure", which should be staffed by both the federal government and the federal states with experienced crisis managers.
"Completely incomprehensible that the government has not done anything so far"
Left chairwoman Janine Wissler said that the federal government was "seeing with full awareness that even more people will get sick and die from Corona."
The time for appeals to the federal states has expired.
Specifically, Wissler demanded that home office be compulsory and mandatory daily tests for all employees who cannot work at home.
"It is completely incomprehensible that the federal government has not done anything to close this weak point in fighting the pandemic."
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed understanding for the displeasure of many citizens about the unclear corona policy of the federal and state governments.
"Just as the pandemic demands a lot from you, you can also demand a lot from politics," he said according to the speech manuscript in a televised address that is to be broadcast on Saturday evening.
"Your expectations of those in power are clear: get together!"
wal / Reuters / AFP
