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NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst
Photo: via www.imago-images.de / imago images / Political-Moments
The SPD, FDP and Greens are planning a new Infection Protection Act and the associated relaxation of the rules for combating the pandemic.
There should be no prolongation of the epidemic emergency.
But the Union-led countries apparently want to block this.
That is evident in a letter from Hendrik Wüst, the head of government of North Rhine-Westphalia and chairman of the conference of ministers of the ministers, which SPIEGEL has received.
The RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported on it first.
The letter is addressed to Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Berlin's Governing Mayor Michael Müller, who is the spokesman for the SPD side.
In the letter from Wüst it says: "In view of the erratic and dynamic infection process with absolute maximum numbers of new infections, the expiry of the epidemic situation is irresponsible from the B-side's point of view." Therefore, the current version of the draft law is from the B-side's point of view ( these are the Union countries) in the Bundesrat "not approvable".
"As a minimum, the countries should have the opportunity to be able to react flexibly to combat a particularly dynamic infection process," is required, the letter continues.
The planned changes to the Infection Protection Act are intended to eliminate the epidemic situation of national importance.
However, the law is subject to approval and needs a majority not only in the Bundestag but also in the Laender Chamber.
The Union is currently involved in eight out of 16 state governments and could prevent approval with its votes in the Bundesrat.
Angela Merkel had previously criticized the end of the emergency and the decision of the traffic light parties.
The current situation in Germany was "dramatic," warned the Chancellor.
Merkel had spoken out in favor of extending the epidemic situation.
However, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) had already spoken out in favor of an end.
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