Two new mandatory vaccination options: Union puts pressure on traffic lights - FDP wants to "think" about Italy model

Created: 01/12/2022, 1:46 PM

From: Andreas Schmid

The discussions about compulsory vaccination continue.

The FDP is currently working on two ideas - one comes from the CSU.

All information in the news ticker.

• In Germany there is intense discussion about compulsory vaccination.

• There are now two new proposals: compulsory vaccination from 50 or transitional compulsory for one year.

• The Union takes responsibility for the traffic lights, while the FDP is also working on a CSU proposal.

• This news ticker for the discussion about a general vaccination requirement in Germany is continuously updated.

Berlin - Will vaccination be compulsory in Germany?

If so, when and how exactly?

Recently, the open questions regarding mandatory corona vaccination increased.

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz * (SPD) had actually announced last year that he wanted to initiate a corresponding regulation as soon as possible.

Initially, the talk was from February to March 2022, but it now seems clear that this target will not be met.

In addition to the point in time, there are other uncertainties - such as the specific design.

Compulsory vaccination from 50?

CSU politician brings new model into play

Alongside Austria, Germany is the only western democracy in which a general vaccination requirement is being discussed. In some countries, such as France, there is a so-called job-related compulsory vaccination, for example in the care sector, or partial vaccination in certain age groups, as in Italy. However, only Austria and Germany are planning an all-encompassing mandatory vaccination that applies to all people over the age of 18. Scholz had recently spoken out in favor of this model again and again, but unlike Austria, nothing has yet been decided.

In Germany, an age-dependent vaccination requirement is now being discussed for the first time.

In Italy all people over 50 are required to have an injection.

The CSU health politician Stephan Pilsinger spoke out in favor of this path.

Because the majority of Covid intensive care patients are older than 50 years, compulsory vaccination for all over 50-year-olds can effectively protect the health system and still keep the encroachment on freedom for society as low as possible.

Stephan Pilsinger, here with ex-Health Minister Jens Spahn, is a doctor and sits on the health committee in the Bundestag.

© Political Moments / Imago

Compulsory vaccination: FDP takes up CSU proposal - and has other design ideas

However, Pilsinger's statements are not (yet) ready for a decision. As the native of Munich announced in the meantime, he will probably not submit a corresponding application himself. In contrast to the usual procedure, a vote is taken on the compulsory vaccination without parliamentary pressure. That means: Members of parliament first have to come together in groups with a common position and formulate appropriate proposals. Thorsten Frei, Parliamentary Managing Director of the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, emphasized that the CDU and CSU parliamentary group would not take over the work of the government. "If the federal government is of the opinion that compulsory vaccination is a means of getting out of this pandemic, then it must also submit a legislative proposal for it." 

Pilsinger's statements are initially just a mental game, but they are certainly heard in the traffic light coalition.

The FDP, which is very skeptical of the general compulsory vaccination, has already signaled its approval.

Interesting move by Stephan Pilsinger “, FDP board member Konstantin Kuhle wrote on Twitter.

He and FDP colleague Andrew Ullmann want to invite Pilsinger to “keep thinking about such a step model.” In a letter, Kuhle praised Pilsinger's “noteworthy” proposal.

The compulsory vaccination headwind seems to be increasing.

From the ranks of the coalition of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, an application by the Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki is already known, in which a vaccination requirement is rejected.

FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr also brought a one-year vaccination requirement into play.

"Another idea would be to check the mandatory vaccination on a trial basis: the mandatory vaccination could only be introduced for a limited period, for example for a year," said Dürr of the

.

"But I haven't made a decision yet," stressed the group chairman.

Compulsory vaccination: Greens expect a decision in the first quarter of 2022

When a decision will be made cannot yet be foreseen.

The traffic light may also be taking its time due to ambiguities from Austria.

In the Alpine republic, compulsory vaccinations should take effect from February 1st.

However, this goal does not seem achievable - at least not without background noise *.

Meanwhile, the Greens are optimistic about the schedule. Fraction leader Britta Haßelmann expects a decision by the Bundestag in the first quarter, so by April 2022. "I still assume," said Haßelmann on Wednesday in the ZDF "Morgenmagazin". Within Parliament, "key points" have already been drawn up on three group proposals, each with a different approach. The MPs are in appropriate talks.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, meanwhile, called for a careful debate in the struggle about compulsory vaccination.

“Such an extraordinary measure also places our state in an extraordinary duty to its citizens.

In short: compulsory vaccination means compulsory debate. ”We will keep you up to date on this debate in the news ticker.