The situation in the morning: one last show of strength before compulsory vaccination?

Today we are dealing with the resolutions of the last corona round of the still incumbent Chancellor with the countries.

We look into the distant future, even if Olaf Scholz has to choose his favorite music for the big tattoo.

And we are amazed at the wave of resignation in the Austrian government.

Lockdown for the unvaccinated

A few days before the new traffic light government will start work, a lot will happen for the last time in political Berlin, including in the fight against pandemics.

On this Friday morning,

the still incumbent Minister of Health,

together with RKI President Lothar Wieler

. From next week on, provided the tradition is maintained, Wieler will then appear in front of the press with ... yes, with whom actually ... at the Berlin Federal Press Conference? Olaf Scholz has remained steadfast, has not yet revealed it.

Angela Merkel experienced her last corona crisis conference with the heads of government of the countries on Thursday

. Over the past few months, the rounds have not always been among the most enjoyable of the chancellor's career. When asked whether she was "relieved or sad" that the Bund-Länder meeting was over, a smile crossed her face that seemed to say: I will not miss anything. She then put it in diplomacy: the conferences were "always part of my political daily calendar or my political agenda." And:

Yesterday's decisions are also linked to hope for one last time: that politicians will have to pass far-reaching restrictions on the fight against the virus for the last time before, perhaps from March, a

requirement will help to significantly increase the

rate .

And that the next wave will then be at least so flat that strict rules will no longer be necessary.

But there are

: How do we get through the fourth wave?

How dangerous is Omikron (or are other virus variants), and how well do the previous vaccines work against it?

How well does the compulsory vaccination work?

Before there are answers to these questions, there is another show of strength.

Especially for all those who have not yet been vaccinated, it should be uncomfortable in the Advent season: They are effectively excluded from many everyday activities by the 2G rule and have to reduce their contacts (here is the complete catalog of measures).

It is an attempt to get through the winter for everyone without a lockdown.

The rulers are finally showing the determination they have lacked in the past days and weeks of the power vacuum.

That is to be recognized and at the same time to be criticized.

We can only hope that the measures will work.

And that Olaf Scholz draws his lessons from the fact that his traffic light had to correct its first decisions.

• Merkel and the Prime Ministers: last round

Merkel finals in color - and what does Olaf Scholz hear?

Was it because of the cold or was it because of the emotion?

orchestra blew "You forgot the color film" into the Berlin night sky

“A chancellor doesn't cry.

A chancellor fights back tears and defeats them, «wrote my colleague Arno Frank yesterday evening in our very entertaining live commentary on the torch-lit ceremony (you can read the minute minutes here).

Now there are only a few days left for Angela Merkel.

On Wednesday next week, the Bundestag, with a majority of the SPD, Greens and FDP, is to elect Olaf Scholz as her successor, who in her short address wished Merkel "all the best, a lucky hand and good luck."

At this point yesterday I called on you to submit suggestions as to what the

might sound like.

That is of course mean, the man is not even in office, and we are already thinking about how to say goodbye to him musically.

It's not really serious.

Anyway: I'm overwhelmed.

My mailbox was full of great music tips, dear readers.

Thank you very much for that!

Among the many, many songs there were two clear favorites that the staff music orchestra of the Bundeswehr should perhaps rehearse for the repertoire.

There were multiple responses, on the one hand, for

- for which Scholz has to thank Markus Söder.

On the other hand for

, which I leave uncommented.

In general, the Kraftwerk sound seems to arouse some associations with the SPD politician, and other titles by electropioneers also appeared.

But because there were a number of other creative suggestions, I put together a small playlist for Olaf Scholz.

May everyone think their part with every song.

• Vader Abraham: The Song of the Smurfs

• Kraftwerk: the robots

• Simon & Garfunkel: The sound of silence

• Udo Jürgens: Dear fatherland, you may be quiet

• Daft Punk: Robot Rock

• Rudi Carrell: Have a drink

• Aretha Franklin: Respect

• Crazy Horse: I don't want to talk about it

• Styx: Mr. Roboto

• Trio: There, there, there

• Heidi Kabel: In Hamburg they say goodbye

• REM: Daysleeper

• Bob Dylan: Slow train

• Led Zeppelin: Communication breakdown

• Joachim Witt: Hostel father

Don't be mad if your song isn't there.

There were so many.

• Companions on the Chancellor's farewell: "... Angela Merkel comes up to me and falls around my neck"

Resignation in Austria

What's going on in Austria?

First

, from whom everyone suspected he was just waiting to be able to take power again,

explains himself

from the youngest former chancellor to the youngest political pensioner in the country.

Then Prime Minister

, who everyone believed was only keeping the Chancellor's chair warm for a short while, announced his retirement after only a few weeks in office.

Then Finance Minister Gernot Blümel throws down.

And Austrian media report that Agriculture Minister Elisabeth Köstinger, Integration Minister Susanne Raab and Economics Minister Margarete Schramböck are shaking.

The conservative ÖVP is shaking

so violently that there will probably not be much left of the turquoise project of the former young star Sebastian Kurz.

In his farewell declaration, Kurz raved about the birth of his son a few days ago, which had "topped everything," including his political successes. One can assume, however, that it is not just the new desire for private life that is decisive for his withdrawal. The

against him are massive, rumors that there is more to come are apparently persistent, support in the party has waned, the polls of the ÖVP are falling.

And it is probably also logical for his allies to follow Kurz. Those who are leaving now belong to his closest circle.

How does it go from here?

The previous Minister of the Interior,

named

as the future Chancellor and ÖVP boss

.

But will the green coalition partner take part in the next change of Chancellor including major government reshuffle?

At the moment it actually looks like it, because the polls do not make anyone want new elections.

On Friday, the ÖVP leadership will meet to bring about the change in personnel.

The party and the country are unlikely to calm down for a long time.

• Short retreat: The Viennese child prodigy throws it out

Loser of the day ...

... is

Many have complained about the sluggishness of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko).

Stiko chairman Thomas Mertens has just admitted that some of his committee's decisions were made too late.

Now he asks in the »FAZ« podcast to be patient for a few days until the Stiko decides whether it can generally recommend the corona vaccination (already approved by the European Medicines Agency) for children between five and twelve years of age.

There is still data to be evaluated and considerations to be made.

But currently, says Mertens when asked, he would not have his own seven-year-old child (if he had one) vaccinated.

Congratulations, then we can save ourselves the rest, because that is the sentence that will stick with parents and paediatricians, regardless of what the Stiko announces in ten days: The Stiko boss would not have his child vaccinated.

The German vaccination campaign is running again.

• Approval by the EMA: What you need to know about Covid-19 child vaccination

The latest news from the night

• Major fire in a wallpaper factory - loud bang, two injured:

  First there was a loud bang, then a fire broke out in a wallpaper factory in Kirchhain, Hesse.

  The police and fire brigade are on duty to put out the fire.

  Two men were taken to a hospital injured

• Biden government must reintroduce migration rule from Trump's time:

  Because the Supreme Court so orders, the US government must revive the controversial "Remain in Mexico" program.

  In fact, President Joe Biden had abolished his predecessor's rule

• The judges and the helpers:

  What did André E. know when about the deeds of the "National Socialist Underground"?

  Before the Federal Court of Justice, the federal prosecutors are demanding a tougher sentence for the trio's helper

The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today

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Have a good day.

Heartfelt,

Your Philipp Wittrock