Germany: The parties have a position on the vaccination obligation

In favor of compulsory vaccination was announced yesterday by the future Chancellor Olaf Soltz (SPD) joined the Left today, demanding the imposition of a general lockdown. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) expressed the opposite view, while the Liberals (FDP) are moving from their initial refusal, in view of their participation in the governing coalition.

“We need drastic measures now. The Left is on the side of science and is calling for a lockdown and a general obligation to vaccinate adults as a means of tackling the pandemic,” said a statement from the Left. “Vaccination obligation can no longer break the fourth wave of the pandemic, but as a last resort it is a decisive tool to prevent further waves and save lives”, the Left continues and rejects the possibility of imposing vaccination only on workers , as he argues, “the problem is not solved, it just puts even more burden on health workers.” The party leadership is still in favor of a “solidarity brake”, with a drastic reduction of contacts, cancellation of major events, more tests and teleworking and reiterates the demand for the release of the vaccine patent. “The pandemic has been shown to be treatable only with a high rate of vaccination worldwide,” the statement said.

A change of attitude is evident in the Liberal Party (FDP), which will join the new government. The deputy chairman of the party’s parliamentary group, Stefan Tomae, said he considered a vaccination obligation possible. “One can no longer say that he rejects the new information,” Mr Tomae told German public television channel ZDF, adding that a 70% vaccination rate was not enough. The Liberal MP was one of those who had appealed to the Constitutional Court against the restrictive measures of the previous period, which were finally deemed constitutional. Liberal future Justice Minister Marco Bushman also said that all constitutional issues must first be settled and Parliament must vote. “If we go to a general obligation to vaccinate, since there is a broad agreement among constitutionalists that such a thing is not unconstitutional,” it is likely that a fine will be imposed on violators, he noted.

On the part of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the leader of the Parliamentary Group Tino Hroupala stressed today that he expects his party MPs to vote unanimously against the vaccination obligation, when he comes to Parliament. “I expect a 100% rejection,” he told the German News Agency (dpa). The co-president of K.O. Alice Weidel said Mr Soltz was “overreacting” to the proposal for compulsory adult vaccination, calling it a “government attack on the right to physical integrity”.

Source: AMPE