The Hessian state parliament in Wiesbaden has begun a two-day review of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures implemented to control its spread. The hearings commenced on Thursday, February 26th, with testimony from leading virologists Christian Drosten and Sandra Ciesek, according to reports from Frankfurt-based publication Frankfurter Rundschau.
The current round of scrutiny, a continuation of a process initiated in December 2024, aims to assess lessons learned from the pandemic. The initial phase involved a public survey, the results of which were presented to lawmakers earlier this week. The experts’ hearing is intended to provide a multi-faceted perspective, incorporating insights from scientific, pedagogical, psychological, and economic fields, as well as the experiences of students and those receiving social services.
Alongside Drosten and Ciesek, experts scheduled to present include aerosol scientist Gerhard Scheuch, former head of the Frankfurt Health Department René Gottschalk, and Malte Schwinger, a pedagogical psychologist from the Philipps University of Marburg. Heike Winter, president of the Psychotherapists’ Chamber of Hesse, and Christian Schubert, a psychoneuroimmunologist, are also slated to testify. The inclusion of Ted Krämer, representing the Hessian student council, and Alexander Hagen from Lebenshilfe Hessen, an organization supporting people with disabilities, signals an effort to broaden the scope of the inquiry beyond purely scientific considerations.
The hearings are structured to examine both the scientific basis for pandemic-related regulations and the broader societal consequences of those measures. A second block of testimony will focus on the psychological and educational impacts of restrictions, while a later session will address economic considerations. According to the Frankfurter Rundschau, the process is designed to be a dialogue rather than an adversarial proceeding.
The review is being overseen by a parliamentary committee, chaired by Yanki Pürsün of the Free Democrats, with Tanja Hartdegen of the SPD serving as deputy chair and Kathrin Anders representing the committee’s interests. The proceedings are scheduled to continue through Friday, February 27th. The findings of the committee have not been publicly released.
