Debate about compulsory vaccination: a question of conscience

The Bundestag will deal intensively with the pros and cons of a general vaccination requirement. It is considered likely that it will come – although many politicians find it difficult to make a decision.

No compulsory vaccination for everyone, not even through the back door – many leaders in politics have been repeating this like a mantra for a year and a half. But more contagious virus variants and the fourth wave despite the vaccine have changed something.

The fact that we are still caught in the pandemic is due to the large number of people who have not been vaccinated, says Chancellor Olaf Scholz: “Because of those who have not been vaccinated, it will not only affect many that they themselves will have an infection at some point it also has consequences for the infection rate across the country, for the exposure in hospitals and intensive care units. “

That is why the SPD politician is now in favor of a general vaccination requirement. And even FDP leader Christian Lindner was open to it, while his party in the corona pandemic always campaigned particularly vehemently for freedom and against state obligations.

Steep template for the AfD

The AfD uses the change of heart as a template. AfD parliamentary group leader Alice Weidel accuses the new government of breaking its word: “You promised the citizens something completely different before the election. You, Mr Scholz, and above all you, the ladies and gentlemen of the FDP. You will still have the beginning of September, Mr Lindner said: A vaccination requirement is not proportionate. “

Politics must be allowed to learn, oppose those who have changed their minds. The health policy spokesman for the Greens, Janosch Dahmen, emphasizes: “I think we are doing politics wrong when we say that once it has said something, it should simply keep going in the same direction, even if it is the wrong one. Then she runs in front of the wall. New locations require course corrections that also adequately protect the people of this country. “

This is also an argument for the German Ethics Council, which was originally against compulsory vaccination for everyone. “It has been shown that fewer people than everyone probably hoped to actually get vaccinated, and that all of this leads us into a damn dangerous situation,” says medical ethicist Alena Buyx.

Aschenberg-Dugnus against compulsory vaccination

But not all see the general compulsory vaccination as a way out. For the health policy spokeswoman for the FDP, Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus, there are still too many questions unanswered: Is the third vaccination enough or how many are necessary? “In my opinion, a general vaccination requirement cannot be made until we even know how often we impose this obligation on people,” she says.

She has joined an application from the ranks of the FDP against the compulsory vaccination. But in the Bundestag there will be no compulsory faction, the MPs are only obliged to their conscience when voting. So you can join forces across party lines and submit your own proposals.

And in concrete terms, a lot is still unclear. Who controls the compulsory vaccination? What are the penalties? Do you need a vaccination register? Former Health Minister Jens Spahn is skeptical: “The Austrians have a register of all vaccinated citizens in Austria. They just automatically write to the non-vaccinated and notify them that they have to pay. This is another form of enforcement than control on the road. “

Fear of radicalization

In addition, some in politics are worried about further radicalization in the population. Parliament will be concerned with all of this. The public debate is planned for January or February at the latest.