Deputy government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer announced on Wednesday, April 7, that the chancellor was supporting calls from multiple federal leaders who have been campaigning for a short, intense lockdown to help the country’s coronavirus caseload as well as its mass vaccination program.
“Every call for a short, uniform lockdown is right,” said Demmer.
“Also, a common nationwide approach would be important here.”
Merkel experiencing pushback from state leaders
Under Germany’s federal system, each of the country’s 16 states has the power to decide its rules regarding COVID-19.
Demmer said this patchwork response to the pandemic was “not contributing to security and acceptance at the moment.
Some states have imposed nighttime curfews. Others have refused to implement tougher lockdown restrictions despite the number of new coronavirus cases rising within their jurisdiction.
Many have even gone ahead with rolling back some lockdown restrictions despite a previous agreement that a state would implement an emergency lockdown if cases rise by a certain amount.
Merkel has been pressing state leaders to tighten lockdown restrictions within their jurisdictions. She has even threatened to use her federal powers to solve this supposed crisis.
One option being considered by Merkel was to amend the Infection Protection Act to lay out what would happen under certain public health situations, including what Germany is going through right now.
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