The Chancellor ducks in the debate and refers to the parliamentary processes
(Photo: Reuters)
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has to collect two full-bodied promises. On the one hand, there was the announcement that 80 percent of first vaccinations would be available by January 7th. It’s only gotten 75 percent. However, that could still be dismissed as a minor matter. The other topic is about the fundamentals.
Before Christmas, SPD politician Scholz had apodictically promised compulsory vaccination by the end of February or at the latest at the beginning of March. That can’t be held. The traffic light coalition are now all trying to make the parliamentary processes appear responsible.
Some even cite Carnival time as the reason for the delay. Most of the partying will be canceled on the Rhine due to Omikron. Now the compulsory vaccination should not come until May or June. Many also find this politically opportune.
The FDP has the fiercest internal party debate. At least a third of the MPs are against compulsory vaccination. The Greens, who still had the greatest abdominal pain when the measles vaccination was compulsory, demonstrated their unity to the outside world. But if you were to do a poll among the Green MPs, the result would be unclear.
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Above all, the SPD thinks pragmatically. If it turns out that Omikron triggers mild courses across the board, compulsory vaccination would be obsolete anyway. The union is not sorted either. While the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) is in favor, the designated CDU boss Friedrich Merz is skeptical.
Orientation debate borders on dumbing down the people
What do parties do when they are disoriented themselves? They arrange an orientation debate. That borders on the dumbing down of the people. It is clearly a question of playing for time. The losers are the citizens. You are not being given any orientation right now.
Three quarters of the population are reasonable anyway. They have had themselves vaccinated and many of them did not need the threat of compulsory vaccination. For the vaccine skeptics it is grist to the mill.
The radicals among them have new ammunition against the corona policy. The more lazy feel confirmed in their skepticism. And all in all, the issue of vaccination is being talked to death by politicians again.
Now leadership is actually needed. Scholz always said: If you order a tour from me, you will get it. The Chancellor ducks and refers to the parliamentary processes. In the pandemic, such indecisive action is irresponsible. Politicians are once again making a dangerous bet in the fight against Corona.
More: Scholz speaks of unity on the pandemic course – but it is missing on key issues