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In mid-October, before the federal-state meeting, it was said that it would be “historic.” Nothing came out that would have really helped. Tomorrow there will be another crown summit, and this time there is much to be said for far-reaching decisions.
The date of the federal-state consultations has not yet been officially confirmed. However, one thing remains quite clear: just before Christmas, to walk around the city again to buy the last gifts, which probably won’t be possible in Germany this year.
As far as is currently known, the prime ministers of the 16 federal states will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel for a video link on Sunday morning to discuss a clear tightening of the crown’s measures.
Schools could also be affected
Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was about making “very far-reaching decisions.” And he indicated that this could affect both schools and retail.
However, it is the states and not the federal government that are responsible for such measures. And a look at recent months shows that prime ministers often have very different ideas than the chancellery. Even before the federal-state meeting in mid-October, the federal government, namely the head of the Chancellery, Helge Braun, had attached “historical” importance to the deliberations. However, much of what was then decided there only had an extremely short half-life, was implemented very differently across countries, and was also largely lost in the dispute over the accommodation ban.
The numbers increase despite the “blocking light”
But now, two months later, things are different: in mid-October, the number of new infections each day was around 5,000, currently there are more than 28,000. And the numbers tend to rise despite the “closing light” that was decided at the end of October.
And several prime ministers have already rushed in and significantly tightened this “blocking light” in their federal states. Saxony goes further, where the number of infections is particularly high today: schools, kindergartens and after-school care centers will be closed from Monday, as well as all stores that do not offer food or daily items.
“To a great extent it closed social life”
The tone in the run-up to the deliberations is also different. At present, there is hardly a vote that a tightening of the measures would be superfluous. The prime ministers, who have to decide, hear the opposite: it will have to “close social life to a great extent”, says the head of government of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, of the Greens.
The CDU’s Armin Laschet, who had long been a proponent of not-so-strict restrictions, also made clear: The “shutdown light” didn’t work, according to the NRW prime minister at the daily topics. You need a hard lock now.
And Manuela Schwesig, head of government of the SPD in Schwerin, said in the ARD-extra, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will definitely participate in the shutdown, despite the comparatively low number of infections. He added: “Now it is clear to everyone that the closure is coming.”
Monday, Wednesday or next weekend?
The question remains when it will come. A few days ago, the Leopoldina National Academy of Sciences suggested taking advantage of the time from Christmas onwards, when many companies are already on vacation. All the Prime Ministers who are speaking today say: It is too late.
Schwesig mentions the fourth possible day of Advent as the last conceivable date, that is, the Sunday of a week. The newspaper “Bild” reports that the Chancellery aims on Wednesday. And Prime Minister Kretschmann also talks about “next week”. Some scientists even advocate Monday.
And what areas could be affected by the closure? Here it becomes clear that it should definitely affect retailers, at least that’s what the politicians’ statements suggest. As in the spring, all stores that do not sell everyday items will likely have to close. City Council Chairman Burkhard Jung urged clear and easily understandable regulations that are the same everywhere. “It must not happen that retail is closed in country A and open in country B,” said the mayor of Leipzig.
“There is no one way”
School and daycare closures are also likely to be a problem. The federal states’ education ministers had long insisted on not restricting classroom teaching in schools as much as possible, but they have since deviated from this rigid stance.
But there are also voices of warning: Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki warned against the apparent lack of alternatives to the measures. “There is no single way to fight something sensible,” the FDP politician told the television station. Phoenix. A democratic discourse is urgently needed.
Tomorrow, the heads of government at the federal and state levels will discuss first. If the meeting starts in the morning, there could be clarity on closing in the early afternoon.
