The SPD and the Greens are dampening expectations: is it not going to be compulsory to vaccinate so quickly?

According to the will of Chancellor Scholz, the general compulsory vaccination should actually apply from March. But that seems increasingly unlikely. The SPD and the Greens are already dampening expectations of a quick decision.

Politicians from the SPD and the Greens have dampened expectations of a swift decision by the Bundestag on a general compulsory vaccination in the fight against the corona pandemic. The promise of compulsory vaccination made by Chancellor Olaf Scholz by the beginning of March can apparently no longer be kept, reports the “Tagesspiegel”.

The reasons for this are the schedule of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, as well as complicated legal issues, as the newspaper learned from coalition circles. Scholz had said on ZDF at the end of November that a general vaccination should apply to everyone in Germany by “beginning of March” at the latest.

Before May, mandatory vaccination can hardly come into force

First of all, there is to be a comprehensive orientation debate in the Bundestag on January 26th or 27th. Because of Carnival, only one week of meetings is scheduled for February, so that a decision can be made in the week from March 14th at the earliest. Since the Federal Council, which has to approve, will not meet again until April 8, the project can only then be finally approved according to the current schedule, reports the “Tagesspiegel”.

Before the beginning of May, the compulsory vaccination can hardly come into force without special meetings. If, in addition, a central vaccination register with data on all vaccinated persons is to be set up to enforce the obligation, the obligation to vaccinate could not come into force until June, the “Tagesspiegel” explained.

“Provision for the coming autumn and winter”

The SPD is actually aiming for a legislative process to be concluded “in the first quarter”, ie by the end of March. Dirk Wiese, who is responsible for the mandatory vaccination project in the SPD parliamentary group, told the newspaper: “We should conclude the deliberations in the Bundestag in the first quarter.” That is a demanding schedule. With a view to possible delays, Wiese emphasized that the compulsory vaccination does not have a short-term effect anyway, but is “in perspective a precaution for the coming autumn and winter”.

In the coming week, the SPD parliamentary group will initially seek talks with members of the Ethics Council, the Federal Data Protection Commissioner and lawyers. “We want to have a thorough debate on important detailed questions, such as the need for a vaccination register,” said Weise.

Haßelmann: “Not an easy decision”

The parliamentary group leader of the Greens in the Bundestag, Britta Haßelmann, expressed herself cautiously: “This is not an easy decision, it means a deep intervention.” In the groups it must first be discussed what ideas there are. “And then we can hold the public debate in the Bundestag at the end of January,” said Haßelmann to the newspapers of the Funke media group. The question is “so relevant and extensive” that it needs “sound and very careful advice”.

Hasselmann himself spoke out in favor of compulsory vaccination. The Bundestag should vote on it without group specifications.

Buschmann wants a quick decision

Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann, on the other hand, is pushing the pace. “The Bundestag should decide quickly whether a mandatory vaccination will be introduced. And if so, for whom,” said Buschmann of “Bild am Sonntag” and, if the MPs approve, announced that it would be implemented quickly.

“Legislative procedures usually take six to twelve months. When deciding whether to have a vaccination, it will be much faster.” The FDP politician emphasized that nobody had to worry about dawdling here.

Union: “Valuable time is wasted”

In the FDP, the compulsory vaccination is controversial. Buschmann himself has not yet decided how he will vote in the Bundestag: “I want all medical facts as well as all constitutional and ethical arguments to flow into the decision.” It must be possible again to “conduct controversial debates like this one with respect for other opinions and decency”.

The Union is now accusing the traffic light of delaying the project because of FDP concerns. Union parliamentary group manager Thorsten Frei called on Scholz to be more active on the issue. “The Chancellor cannot now wait with his arms crossed to see whether there will be proposals from parliament or not. Valuable time is wasted. That is the opposite of leadership, that is refusal to work,” said the CDU politician of “Bild am Sonntag” .