[ad_1]
Europe’s largest economy is drastically shutting down public life. In Austria, people are watching Berlin closely and are already working on measures to be taken soon. France has already done the same and announced a closure as of Friday.
Weeks full of deprivation await Germany. Austria’s largest neighbor is forcing itself into a second lockdown from November 2 until the end of the month. Bars and restaurants will have to close. Cultural life will come to a standstill. Unlike the spring, this time schools, kindergartens, commerce and religious services are saved.
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) called the resolutions of the federal and state governments on Wednesday “harsh” and “onerous.” He spoke of a “difficult day”. “But we have to act, and now.” The calculation: Germany wants to reduce the number of infections before Christmas so that contact tracing is possible again. But this second block, it is clear, is more controversial than the first. The leader of the FDP, Christian Lindner, considers that some projects are “unconstitutional”. There is a din in parts of the economy. And the Chancellor calls for a “national effort.” But many artists and businesses are already out of stock. The taxpayer should now cushion the worst consequences of the second lockdown. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) plans to reimburse companies affected by the shutdown in November, based on size, up to 75 percent of the loss in sales. He has set aside ten billion euros for this.
