Corona: Merkel plans to loosen – but loses patience: “Don’t do more”

Further easing of the corona restrictions in Germany is imminent. Individual countries are already racing ahead. Chancellor Merkel apparently has had enough of this.

Update from May 26, 7:10 a.m .: Loosen quickly or prefer to exercise extra caution? Are about it Chancellor Angela Merkel and many Prime Ministers of the federal states apparently divided. As early as May 6, Merkel is said to have said in a video chat with the country heads that she was “about to give up“. The reason back then: The heads of state of the countries have pushed for more and more easing.

Corona loosening: federal and state governments are struggling for the next steps

The same thing happened yesterday in the round of heads of state chancellors in the federal states Head of Chancellor Helge Braun (CDU) off, reports Bild.de (Article behind the payment barrier). In Braun’s draft resolution, which was sent on Sunday, there was a requirement for masks in certain public areas and the Minimum distance of 1.5 meters continue to talk, should also a maximum of 10 people in your own home may come together and open-air gatherings are “generally limited to a maximum of 20 people”.

A period of time Contact bans until July 5 was added on Monday morning. The countries agreed with the obligation to wear masks and distance, but the consensus stopped there. The countries saw a need for correction in the number and origin of people who want to meet at home or in the open air, reports Bild.de. Federal states like Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which have a lower infection rate, want theirs Restrict citizens less than Bavaria, for example, which is struggling with higher infection numbers.

Corona loosening: new design allows the countries a lot of freedom

Result: The Chancellery gave way. The final draft, which has yet to be approved by the federal states this Tuesday, now states that the Contact restrictions only five weeks (“until June 29”) apply and then be adjusted. The following also applies to “staying in public space”: meetings are allowed with up to ten people or “members of two households”.

Particularly noteworthy: there is no longer a maximum number for your own home. The only condition for house or grill parties: Enough space so that the “compliance with the distance rule” is possible and sufficient fresh air is available.

After this tough struggle for loosening, she has Chancellor apparently no longer interested in heated federal-state discussions. How Bild.de reported, there will be no video switches between Merkel and the country heads until further notice. From Merkel’s environment it is said that she wants tofor now, don’t do it anymore“. A meeting of the Corona cabinet scheduled for Monday was also rescheduled to next Wednesday. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert, however, assured that this had nothing to do with Merkel’s annoyance at possible solo efforts by the states, such as most recently in Thuringia.

Corona loosening: Söder supports Merkel’s loosening plans

Update from May 25, 8:05 p.m .: Nothing has been decided yet – yes CSU boss Markus Söder already stands behind Chancellor Angela Merkel’s plans (CDU). She wants to extend the contact restrictions in the Corona crisis to July. Even if there are different differentiations in the execution, the “mothers of all questions, Distance requirement and mask requirement, indispensable, ”said Bavarian Prime Minister on Monday evening in ZDF.

Söder thus directly supported the of the Federal Chancellery submitted plan to keep the contact restrictions binding until July 5. In a newer version of the template is only mentioned from June 29th.

Söder also reaffirmed his criticism of Thuringia’s advance. As long as there is no medication and no vaccine, you move with them Easing on very thin ice. Söder also criticized that in Thuringia the municipalities would obviously be left alone to combat corona. In order to fight the pandemic, more tests, more information, more protective materials and more employees are needed at the health authorities.

Corona loosening: Seibert reveals details of Merkel’s wishes – do three rules remain in Germany?

Update from May 25, 4:23 p.m .: This Monday, the federal and state governments confer on the next course in the Corona crisis – official results are not yet known. But Government spokesman Steffen Seibert already has a direction of thrust Angela Merkel’s Chancellery let through.

According to Seibert, Merkel wants to ensure that even after the previous agreements expire next week, “binding orders“will give – and not only recommendations. It is about not jeopardizing progress. The recent outbreaks in Hesse and Lower Saxony have shown” what happens if basic rules are disregarded, “said Seibert. The federal states should” brave and be vigilant.