General obligation to vaccinate: Union holds alternative plans against draft law - Bundestag struggles for majority

Created: 02/11/2022, 20:17

By: Kathrin Reikowski

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in the Bundestag: There is currently no majority for his preferred vaccination regulation.

(Archive image) © Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Supporters of a general obligation to vaccinate have presented a draft law, the Union is presenting a counter-proposal.

A third draft is awaited.

Berlin - On Friday, the advocates of a general obligation to vaccinate presented a draft law in the Bundestag.

The Union presented an alternative concept.

She prefers a regulation that should only be activated if necessary by a Bundestag resolution.

But in the Bundestag there is currently no majority for a general obligation to vaccinate against the corona virus *.

It is also unclear when the Bundestag will start deliberating on the drafts.

In the Bundestag, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD)* again pleaded for a general obligation to vaccinate.

The coming autumn and winter could be associated with a renewed increase in corona numbers, which is why “general vaccination also makes sense”.

The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer (SPD*), called for a compromise on compulsory vaccination.

Their introduction was so radical "that we should have a large majority in the Bundestag for it," she told the "Süddeutsche Zeitung".

It would certainly be good “if all those who are in favor of compulsory vaccination gather behind one of the applications for it”.

General obligation to vaccinate: What does the draft law envisage?

The proponents of universal vaccination from the age of 18 strive for:

• The health insurance companies will inform their insured persons about the regulation by May 15th.

• People who have been vaccinated three times should be able to prove this digitally.

• The obligation to be vaccinated should apply from October 1st.

• Because of controls in public places, proof of vaccination must be carried.

• If you don't get vaccinated, you can expect a fine of up to 2,500 euros.

Against this draft from the ranks of the traffic light coalition, the parliamentary groups from the CDU* and CSU* want to bring in another template as a group.

Union for compulsory vaccination: "Vaccination Prevention Act" and a "graded vaccination mechanism"

The Union draft for a "Vaccination Prevention Act" provides for the following:

• a "graded vaccination mechanism", for example for certain age or occupational groups

• The Bundestag should be given the opportunity to decide to activate a vaccination mechanism

• an intensified vaccination campaign and a vaccination register

A general obligation to vaccinate is currently not legally possible, said the deputy chairwoman of the Union faction, Andrea Lindholz (CSU).

People could not be obligated to be vaccinated “at random”.

"We also don't know what to recommend for autumn if we don't even know what's coming in autumn."

FDP group advocates compulsory vaccination from the age of 50

So far, the coming week has been envisaged for the first reading of the bills, but the group around the FDP* MP Andrew Ullmann, who advocates a regulation for people over 50 years of age, has yet to submit a proposal.

Regarding the schedule, the FDP MP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said it was important that the drafts were available in the middle of the month and "everything was dry by the end of March".

SPD faction deputy Dirk Wiese also confirmed the goal of completing the process in the first quarter.

(dpa/kat) *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.