Merkel criticises Germany’s state leaders on Covid approach
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The German Chancellor criticised federal state leaders who have not grasped the gravity of the situation. Angela Merkel stepped up lockdown measures in December to contain the second wave of infections, which has now turned into a third wave although with fewer deaths. Ms Merkel raised the possibility during a broadcast interview on Sunday of amending the Infection Protection Act to oblige Germany’s 16 states, which wields power over health and security issues, to implement certain measures.
Speaking to Anne Will, Ms Merkel said: “When the state leaders conference convenes again which is why I’m for withholding an early conference.
“It has to be clear that we have to achieve a consensus.
“Many federal states are being too lax.
“The distribution of roles is no good because we’ve all got the same goal, I’m convinced of this and that is to guide the country through this pandemic.”
But she failed to say what that would entail, prompting rebukes from opposition parties and newspapers that she was “clueless” and “still has no plan”.
Ms Merkel, whose conservative party are falling in the polls ahead of an election in September, expressed dissatisfaction with some state premiers for failing to reverse measures to reopen parts of the economy when cases start to rise, as agreed on March 3.
Christian Lindner, leader of the opposition Free Democrats, told Phoenix television: “Merkel should appear before parliament and state clearly how she sees the situation and what her proposals are.”
In the clearest sign that her authority is waning six months before her fourth and last term ends, Ms Merkel said the leader of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party had breached the March agreement by failing to re-impose lockdown measures in his own state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
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NRW premier Armin Laschet, also a potential conservative candidate for chancellor, hit back at Merkel, saying his state had imposed a so-called “emergency brake” by requiring people to test negative before visiting some shops.
“I am open to every proposal from the federal government on what we could do better,” said Laschet, suggesting that video crisis summits between Merkel and state premiers should be in-person to bring better results.
Most state leaders have rejected Merkel’s plans to shut schools and daycare centres if infections surge and many have chosen to keep many shops, garden centres and hairdressers open even as the 7-day incidence rate per 100,000 jumped to 134.
Germany has never had lockdowns as strict as France or Britain, partly in order to limit economic damage.
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But leading economists who had advocated softer lockdowns and are now attacking Merkel’s dithering.
“In a situation like this, you cannot say, ‘let us wait another 10 days,” Clemens Fuest, head of the Ifo economic institute, told MDR radio, urging Merkel to agree on a two-week hard lockdown over Easter with state leaders or risk more damage to the economy. “The Easter holiday is a chance to do something.
To let it slip by is incomprehensible.”
Asked on Sunday whether she had lost her authority and ability to govern, Merkel replied: “No.”
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