FDP state chief Theurer: "Compulsory vaccination is not a panacea"
Created: 01/06/2022, 07:20 AM
The Baden-Württemberg FDP state chief Michael Theurer speaks at a state party conference.
© Uli Deck / dpa / archive image
There is growing skepticism among liberals about a general vaccination requirement.
The southwest head of the country even speaks of "false hopes" - and makes alternative suggestions in the fight against Corona.
Fellbach - The Baden-Württemberg FDP state chief Michael Theurer warned shortly before the traditional three kings rally of the liberals in Stuttgart against excessive expectations with a view to a general vaccination requirement. "The longer the discussion goes on, the more it turns out that mandatory vaccination is not a panacea," said Theurer of the German press agency. It is a deceptive hope that compulsory vaccination as a panacea will lead to an end to the pandemic. The Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport stated, for example, that vaccinated people could still be contagious, that there were new mutations and that people with previous illnesses could not be vaccinated.
The Bundestag is expected to decide on a general obligation to vaccinate against corona in a free vote without parliamentary group discipline. But resistance is stirring within the FDP in the Bundestag. The deputy FDP chairman Wolfgang Kubicki had recently sharply criticized proponents of compulsory corona vaccination and assumed revenge on unvaccinated people as a motive.
Theurer said that he could not currently imagine voting in the Bundestag for compulsory vaccination. He doubts that a mandatory vaccination that has been fined would lead to opponents being vaccinated. The vaccination requirement is touted as a panacea, but it is crucial to bring the vaccination rate up. There is too little discussion that compulsory vaccination means a massive interference in people's decisions. Theurer also addressed problems with implementation and administrative law issues. “Do we want more people to be vaccinated, or do we want to impose more fines?” The proponents of mandatory vaccination have still not presented a constitutional draft.
As a possible alternative to a general compulsory vaccination, Theurer suggested compulsory counseling for vaccine skeptics by resident doctors.
Compulsory vaccination for vulnerable groups aged 60 and over is also an option in the fight against the pandemic.
Theurer is chairman of the Südwest-FDP, sits on the FDP Federal Presidium and is Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport in the new federal government.
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The FDP starts the new year on Thursday with their Epiphany in Stuttgart.
Because of the corona pandemic, the event will again be predominantly digital.
It is broadcast on the Internet from the Stuttgart Opera House.
At the meeting, the FDP traditionally wants to reflect on the values of a liberal mindset and demonstrate self-confidence at the start of the new year.
dpa