The last G7 summit, the last European Council, the last government declaration in the Bundestag – after 16 years, Chancellor Merkel is slowly saying goodbye to politics.
- Angela Merkel * appears for the last time at the Federal Press Conference in Berlin.
- Merkel will not run in the federal election *. Instead, the CDU’s candidate for chancellor will be Armin Laschet *.
- The last appearance of the Chancellor at the Federal Press Conference in Berlin in the live ticker.
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At her presumably last summer press conference in Berlin, Angela Merkel urgently swore the country to a joint effort to cope with the severe weather disaster in western Germany. “We will need patience to repair all of this damage,” said Merkel. There was terrible devastation from the floods, Germany mourned 170 deaths.
The aim is to jointly finance the flood damage, said Merkel. The federal government has made an amount of 200 million euros available for emergency aid. Over the next few days and weeks, the Prime Ministers of the federal states will be talking about how a joint development fund will be organized. It is also not ruled out that the pandemic will be a topic again at this meeting, said the Chancellor.
In view of the rising corona numbers, Merkel urged more vaccinations. “The more we are vaccinated, the freer we will be again,” said the Chancellor. The pandemic can only be overcome together. That is why people should also actively promote vaccinations in their private and working environment.
Merkel described the currently registered doubling of the incidence figures within 12 days as dramatic. She warned to pay more attention to protective measures: masks, distance, ventilation and regular testing. Higher vaccination rates meanwhile made it possible to deal with higher numbers of infections. “Preventing the overloading of the health system remains the guideline for our actions,” said Merkel.
+++ 12.37 p.m.: This ends the press conference of Chancellor Angela Merkel, thank you for reading along.
+++ 12.32 p.m.: When asked by a journalist about her personal balance sheet as Chancellor, Merkel replied that she actually wanted to reserve this for others. But she is particularly proud of the low number of youth unemployment. However, one must be careful that it stays that way.
When asked what she regrets most, Angela Merkel replies: “The last serious mistake, I knew it before all of you, with the Easter rest, it is still present in my memory.”
Federal press conference – Merkel’s last appearance – “Are there anything else besides cracks in your home”?
+++ 12.15 p.m .: “Is there anything else with you besides cracks?” Angela Merkel reacts to the questions of blogger Boris Reitschuster about supposed dissonances between her and Laschet. Allegedly, she is “the strictest” in terms of easing.
+++ 12:05 p.m.: Merkel emphasizes that she is required to stay that way until her end of office. The challenges are enormous. What comes next Merkel has no big plans yet, “but will be able to do something with time”.
When asked about Laschet and his scientific uncertainty, Merkel reacts diplomatically. There are different scientific methods, but not always the same scientific results.
+++ 11.50 a.m.: And the women’s policy? “I tend to see a greater need for efficiency in women”. But in general a lot would change – especially with young families. The nuclear phase-out? Merkel does not think nuclear energy is sustainable; the future of nuclear energy has been decided for Germany. After all, you have 40 percent renewable energy, which is progress, but of course not enough. Apart from that, Fridays for Futurre is the driving force, but not the only opinion
A pragmatic solution must also be found for people who have helped the Bundeswehr in Afghanistan.
Federal press conference – Chancellor Merkel’s last appearance – people should get vaccinated
+++ 11.40 a.m.: On the current European refugee policy: Merkel notes that there is still no common European refugee policy. At the same time, she sees difficulties in showing people their asylum future. She is also aware of the Frontex problem.
Merkel continues to see Germany facing major challenges in terms of modernization and future technologies. She referred to findings from the corona pandemic, but also to the enormous pace of development in the USA in chip technology. “We are a strong country,” said Merkel. With a view to digitization, she said: “But we really have work to do in some areas to maintain the high standard that we have.”
+++ 11.30 a.m.: Angela Merkel admits regarding Corona that Germany did not manage to protect the nursing homes. Was she a crisis chancellor? “The world is like you, and there were a number of challenges …” Her term of office was characterized by the fact that Germany is part of a world.
+++ 11.20 a.m.: When asked how important Merkel is to her East German origins, she says: “Without an origin, there is no future.” She would like to see more people from East Germany for tasks in all of Germany’s life.
Live: Federal press conference – Angela Merkel’s last appearance – appeal for the corona vaccination
+++ 11.15 a.m .: “What you miss, you usually only notice when you don’t have it,” says Merkel dryly in response to the relevant question. On the subject of what the federal government has done against climate change, Merkel’s answer is ambivalent. A lot has been done – but clearly too little, of course. That must go faster in the future.
+++ 11.10 a.m.: Chancellor Merkel answers questions from Berlin journalists. The Chancellor’s preliminary remarks refer to the catastrophic storm. You will need “staying power” to repair the damage. At the same time, one has to talk about the corona pandemic due to the increasing incidence numbers. The key to overcoming the pandemic is vaccination.
Normality can only be regained through community, which is why Merkel appeals for people to be vaccinated. A vaccination protects everyone in our everyday lives. “The more we are vaccinated, the freer we will be”.
Live: Federal Press Conference – Angela Merkel’s last appearance
Berlin – Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) will come to the federal press conference on Thursday (July 22nd, 2021, 11.00 a.m.) and answer questions from the capital’s journalists. It will probably be her last appearance of this kind. And she will take this opportunity to answer questions on all areas of domestic and foreign policy. This year, the situation in the flood areas, the Corona * pandemic and the agreement that has just been reached with the USA * on the controversial Baltic Sea gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 are likely to become central issues.
Angela Merkel (CDU) will no longer run in the federal election in September and will then withdraw from politics.
Flood : After the devastating flood *, Chancellor Merkel visited particularly affected regions in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, got her own impression of the damage and promised rapid help. “Together we will do everything we can to ensure that the money comes quickly to the people who often have nothing more than what they are wearing,” said the CDU politician on Tuesday (July 20, 2021) in Bad Münstereifel.
On Wednesday (July 21, 2021) the federal cabinet decided on emergency aid of initially 200 million euros, which can also be increased if necessary. Because the federal government wants to co-finance every sum that the states pay as emergency aid in the same amount. There is also said to be a reconstruction program, for which billions of dollars are estimated.
Less attention to Corona due to flood disaster
Corona: The flood disaster has pushed the corona pandemic somewhat into the background in the past few days, although the development is worrying. The seven-day incidence * has been rising continuously for more than two weeks. Most recently, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Thursday (July 22nd, 2021) it was 12.2 – at the latest low on July 6th, it was 4.9.
“You have to expect that some things will be even more difficult in the next few months than in summer,” said Merkel in August last year. Health experts fear that again. This sentence by the Chancellor, which is almost a year old, sounds like it is from today: “It remains the same: It is serious, still serious – and continue to take it seriously.”
Nord Stream 2: Gas is to flow from Russia directly to Germany through the almost completed pipeline – past the Ukraine, through which the existing pipeline runs. The US sees the project as a “bad deal” because it increases Europe’s dependence on Russian energy. They also fear that Russia will use the pipeline as leverage against Ukraine. When the Chancellor met US President Joe Biden * in Washington last week, the controversy was not yet resolved.
Nord Stream 2: US and Germany solution imminent
A breakthrough was achieved on Tuesday (July 20, 2021), Germany and the USA published a joint statement. The two countries want to support Ukraine in building a “green energy sector” and work to secure gas transit through Ukraine in the next decade.
It also says: Should Russia try to use “energy as a weapon” or commit further aggressive acts against Ukraine, Germany will act at the national level and press for effective measures including sanctions in the European Union. Merkel emphasized in Washington: “Our understanding was and is and will remain that Ukraine remains a transit country for natural gas.” (Ktho / dpa) * fr.de is an offer from IPPEN-MEDIA
