Lauterbach in the crossfire: Serious summit hostilities have become public - "Not experienced in 30 years!"

Created: 01/25/2022, 12:25 p.m

By: Florian Naumann, Jonas Raab

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in conversation with Health Minister Prof. Dr.

Karl Lauterbach during the 5th session of the Bundestag in Berlin (archive photo).

© Jens Schicke / Imago

Karl Lauterbach was the dream minister of many Germans - but there were also doubts.

Now the minister is causing displeasure in some countries.

Update from January 25, 9.35 a.m .:

Karl Lauterbach is under a lot of pressure: after the Corona summit, several prime ministers gave the SPD health minister public scolding (

) – now unpleasant allegations from the video round of the prime ministers’ conference on Monday are also public become.

Even during the MPK,

reported on a severe attack.

Now the originator is known: According to information from

, it was the Hessian Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) who said he felt "personally betrayed" by Lauterbach.

The stumbling block is a shortening of the convalescent status for corona sufferers from six months to 90 days, announced at short notice and apparently not agreed in advance (

).

"I haven't experienced anything like this in 30 years," said Bouffier, according to the participants.

Later, North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU), among others, publicly criticized it.

With one noteworthy addition.

The case should not be repeated, there was a “cross-party” agreement.

Subtext: It's not just opposition bluster.

Lauterbach in the crossfire: Prime Ministers add demand in the summit decision – Scholz counters Wüst

In fact, in the final summit decision, the group passed a barely concealed rebuke for Lauterbach.

It is “noted” that Lauterbach will announce and “justify” changes to the vaccinated and recovered status “in good time” in the future.

The heads of state “assumed that the federal government would take the appropriate precautions”.

The last sentence was added compared to the draft resolution.

During the course of Monday there was even speculation about a specific notification period for Lauterbach.

Lauterbach himself admitted to

omissions in the round, according to

"It didn't go well," he said, according to the report.

At the same time, the health minister defended himself against an unpleasant suspicion: he didn't want to deceive anyone, he would have liked to have saved himself the trouble.

Wüst was angry later in the press conference.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) - who was considered a Lauterbach skeptic before the cabinet was assembled - also publicly broke a lance for the minister.

With a little tip for Wüst: Lauterbach is “a really great minister”.

That, too, can be “held across party lines”.

Nevertheless, the Minister of Health is now under increased surveillance.

Summit settlement with Lauterbach: State leaders around Söder attack him at MPK – “It doesn’t work that way”

Update from January 24, 9:39 p.m .:

There was not much new to report after the Corona summit of the country heads with Olaf Scholz.

"Stay on course," preached the Federal Chancellor like a mantra.

Despite the omicron boom in Germany, the catalog of measures was only slightly adjusted.

However, one topic apparently occupied the prime ministers of the federal states who came together via live broadcast: Karl Lauterbach’s (SPD) night-and-fog campaign to reduce the status of those who had recovered.

That had already been announced in advance.

After the Corona summit, several country heads called for better information about such decisions in the future.

"Reliability is also part of a forward-looking pandemic policy," said NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) on Monday evening (January 24).

Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) agreed that there had been criticism of Lauterbach's actions across party lines.

"Holterdiepolter" the citizens had learned that their recovered status was no longer valid.

"It doesn't work that way, we need a different form of reliability here."

Corona summit: countries criticize Lauterbach's quick shot at the status of those who have recovered

Wüst explained that Lauterbach had promised to take appropriate precautions.

The federal states see this follow-up work as “urgent and helpful”, said the head of government of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow (left), about the agreement.

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder also spoke up.

In addition to far-reaching easing in the Free State, he announced on Twitter: “Unfortunately, the communication to shorten the recovered status was unfortunate.

That shouldn't happen again."

The “very great” Minister Lauterbach was backed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).

At the federal-state switch, everyone said "that they are very committed to their work," said Scholz, also across party lines.

Lauterbach under criticism: Prime Ministers want health ministers to rule - and a reprimand

First report from January 24th:

Berlin – Before Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) took office, it was puzzling whether the medical expert could also do ministerial diplomacy – just before the Corona summit on Monday, anger was breaking out in the countries about an apparently not Coordinated change in Corona measures Bahn.

According to reports, there could even be a dispute about a reprimand in the decision paper.

Corona summit: Lauterbach enrages Prime Minister - new rule required

The reason: The shortening of the recovered status for people suffering from corona to 90 days.

Just over a week ago, the Robert Koch Institute announced the new course.

Great trouble followed: "We have to try to win people over with arguments and not by surprising them," said Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) of the

.

Saarland's Prime Minister Tobias Hans (CDU) told the newspaper that it was right to follow the latest scientific findings.

But it is not enough to “write a rule change on your website”.

Lauterbach then vowed to improve.

But his push for prioritizing PCR tests at the weekend caused new trouble among the country heads, as

reported by

the

.

In addition to Haseloff, the prime ministers of Thuringia and Hesse, Bodo Ramelow (left) and Volker Bouffier (CDU), are upset.

They are now demanding clear consequences, it is said.

RTL had previously even reported personal verbal attacks on Lauterbach in the round of state health ministers.

Lauterbach defends itself against allegations: Official rebuke is still threatening

According to the tabloid, there is a strict requirement in the room: drastic changes should be announced 14 days in advance.

In addition, the prime ministers probably want to give a slap in the face for protocol: A reprimand should be accommodated in the summit decision.

"I personally feel betrayed by him," the

quotes

a person affected.

A corresponding passage was already found in the draft resolution for the summit - albeit in an extremely diplomatic way.

The country heads "welcome", it says, that the Minister of Health has announced that determinations on the vaccinated and recovered status "due to their considerable scope will in future be announced and justified in good time before they come into force".

However, it remains to be seen whether the country heads will be successful in their request for clear deadlines.

Lauterbach has already defended his actions: "I can't say now that there will be a transition if it cannot be maintained medically," said the SPD politician on Sunday on the ZDF program "Berlin direct".

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