Compulsory vaccination from 18 "without a chance": Lauterbach hopes for the Union - but shows the cold shoulder
Created: 03/15/2022, 14:29
By: Florian Naumann
Karl Lauterbach supports general corona vaccination - but finding a majority is difficult.
© Carsten Koall/dpa
Will there be a corona vaccination requirement in Germany?
Karl Lauterbach recently appealed to the Union - but they gave the minister the cold shoulder when asked by Merkur.de.
Berlin/Munich - Is it still coming, the general, unconditional corona vaccination?
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) now seems to have doubts himself: he made the supporters of other models
an offer of cooperation on Monday in the
Munich Merkur .
But at least in the case of the Union faction, he seems to be biting on granite: At the request of
Merkur.de
, their health expert Tino Sorge sees Lauterbach above all as facing a serious political defeat.
Corona vaccination obligation: Lauterbach hopes for Union - expert concern predicts him the "political defeat"
"I have the impression that most members of the Bundestag support compulsory vaccination and I hope that we don't fall back into party politics here, but fight for enforcement," said Lauterbach in
Merkur
.
However, he also had the difficult majority in mind - and stretched out his hand in the direction of the Union.
It doesn't make sense "to take away each other's votes as pro-vaccination advocates," said the minister.
What is needed is a joint motion, which can then also achieve a majority.
"They will have to say goodbye to compulsory vaccination."
CDU health expert Tino Sorge at Merkur.de on the vaccination plans of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Minister Karl Lauterbach.
But that is exactly what is not possible, as concern emphasized on Monday afternoon.
"If Minister Lauterbach is now speculating about combining applications, the chaos is perfect.
In doing so, he admits that there is no chance of compulsory vaccination from the age of 18," said the CDU politician.
Even more: Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Lauterbach are "facing a political defeat": "They will have to say goodbye to general vaccination requirements."
Sorge also rejected informal talks about a compromise.
The debate on the applications is still pending in the Bundestag this week, after which the Health Committee will advise: “There is no reason for discussions outside of this procedure.” The Union is sticking to its application for a “Vaccination Prevention Act”.
The parliamentary debate is scheduled for Thursday.
Vaccination obligation in the Bundestag: Union wants to stick to its own plan - general vaccination obligation not "waterproof"
The CDU and CSU plan: A vaccination mechanism based on a phased model that should be closely linked to the current pandemic situation.
According to the Union faction, the compulsory vaccination should only come into force after a detailed look at the severity of the rampant virus variant, its transmissibility, the effectiveness of the vaccines and also the immunity in the population.
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CDU health expert Tino Sorge in the German Bundestag.
(Archive image) © Frederic Kern/Imago
The "compromise" is already on the table, stressed Sorge.
This means that no further concessions are necessary.
The proposal from the CDU and CSU is the only one that calms the debate, the health expert explained: "It brings the necessary flexibility and a sense of proportion to prepare us for future crises".
"We differentiate where blanket approaches 'from 18' or 'from 50' come to nothing."
At the request of
Merkur.de
, Sorge again expressed serious doubts about the plans for general vaccination from the age of 18.
"It would not have a majority in Parliament, nor would it be scientifically or constitutionally watertight," he said.
With Austria, a neighboring country recently conceded the general obligation to vaccinate.
Corona vaccination requirement: at least four applications in the Bundestag – it will be tight for Lauterbach’s plan
In addition to the applications for compulsory vaccination from 18 and the Union's phased model, there is also a vaccination paper by a group led by FDP politicians Andrew Ullmann and Konstantin Kuhle on the table.
You want vaccinations to be compulsory from the age of 50, which can only come into force in the autumn if parliament passes a separate resolution, but you are also in favor of compulsory advice.
They were explicitly open to compromises with other groups.
However, bridging the gap to the general, unconditional obligation to vaccinate could be difficult if not impossible.
There is also an application that provides for initiatives to strengthen the willingness to be vaccinated, but says no to compulsory vaccination.
It is worn, among others, by the liberal Wolfgang Kubicki, but also by politicians from the Greens, Union and Left - including Sahra Wagenknecht and Gregor Gysi.
Apparently the draft favored by Lauterbach had the greatest approval.
233 traffic light deputies signed it, in addition to Scholz and Lauterbach also the prominent Greens Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck.
The Union has 197 representatives in the Bundestag.
However, neither of these is sufficient to implement the respective plans: 368 votes are required for an absolute majority.
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