This time, “Maybrit Illner” on ZDF asks: “From constant dispute to permanent lockdown – is Merkel’s emergency brake coming too late?”
Berlin – He’s coming. He is not coming. He comes. He is not coming. The planned federal-bridge-complete-total-almost-lockdown and the necessary changes in the Infection Protection Act have been heating up the political minds for a long time.
“From constant dispute to permanent lockdown – is Merkel’s emergency brake coming too late?” Is the question of the latest edition of Maybrit Illner’s weekly broadcast on ZDF. “We have to talk!” Says the hostess at the beginning – and in front of the TV you can only roll your eyes. Of course it is a talk show, but for over a year there has been and will be so much talked about the corona pandemic in all its facets that one has grown tired of listening and can now only think annoyed: There has really been enough talk. Far too little is and has been done.
“Maybrit Illner” (ZDF): Olaf Scholz’s final spurt and Karl Lauterbach’s worries
The summarized positions and platitudes of the guest inventory Olaf Scholz, Christian Lindner and Karl Lauterbach then read completely unsurprisingly as follows: Scholz (SPD) believes the change in the law is on the right track, considers it legally secure, trustworthy and realistic, promises it the much-invoked assertiveness, clarity and comprehensibility and above all, of course, the falling number of infections – all in the context of a “final spurt” that “would be a“ crime ”not to be exploited.
| “Maybrit Illner” (ZDF) – The guests | |
|---|---|
| Olaf Scholz | SPD candidate for chancellor, vice-chancellor and federal finance minister |
| Christian Lindner | Party and parliamentary group chairman of the FDP |
| Anna Leisner-Egensperger | Constitutional lawyer and professor for public law at the University of Jena |
| Claudia Kade | Head of the political department at “Welt” and “Welt am Sonntag” |
| Bernd Althusmann | Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the CDU of Lower Saxony |
| Karl Lauterbach | Epidemiologist and health economist, SPD |
His party colleague Karl Lauterbach emphasizes that the federal lockdown comes too late, names the problem of the intensive care units filling up with younger Covid patients and finds the benefit of a night curfew between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. through a large meta study by Oxford University Main topic of the program – proven: this would reduce the incidence of infections by ten to fifteen percent. That is not enough to break the third wave, but it is better than nothing. He also once again calls for the second vaccination to be postponed in order to give more people a first vaccination that could save them from severe courses.
“Maybrit Illner”: Christian Lindner wants to go to the Federal Constitutional Court
FDP boss Christian Lindner agrees with the SPD health specialist at “Maybrit Illner” (ZDF) in the last point, but does not believe in a blanket curfew that completely ignores local conditions, sees it as a massive and legally unjustifiable interference the fundamental rights and announces a lawsuit in Karlsruhe, should the change in the law come about. In addition, a distinction between vaccinated and non-vaccinated people is important to him – on this point he and this time Olaf Scholz agree for a moment, but quickly indulge in unbearable fussing again. These three are joined by the chairman of the Lower Saxony CDU, Bernd Althusmann, who would like to rely on vehement testing, but also on opening concepts (of course, to be determined in more detail) and who also emphasizes that the states already have all the options that are necessary for this federal law to be amended are provided. So far, so well known.
“Maybrit Illner”: Basic Law, Federalism and Serious Politics in Danger
In addition, two non-politicians are involved as experts at “Maybrit Illner” (ZDF), but unfortunately they don’t have much to contribute: The journalist Claudia Kade from “Welt” considers the increasingly authoritarian tone of debates and plans to be highly questionable. Criticizes the lack of investment in vaccine production facilities, fears that the problems of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson will slow down the rate of vaccination further, and sees the seriousness of politics in great danger due to the threat of legal action by some citizens against the imminent change in the law.
The constitutional lawyer Anna Leisner-Egensperger, who was switched on via video, was only allowed to speak once in the middle, but at least longer, and answered Illner’s questions about the constitutionality of the planned change in the law. The fact that federal law is now supposed to break state law is a bad signal, which is not in accordance with the Basic Law and the principle of federalism – but the federal government has the authority to implement it. The situation is different with the targeted exit restrictions, which, at least in a blanket form, they do not even consider to be constitutional. At least the pressure exerted by the Chancellor had the effect that some state chiefs would now act before the federal government could mess with their powers. The professor from Jena rates the planned real test obligation for companies and the obligation to work from home in all jobs, where this is possible, as positive.
“Maybrit Illner” on ZDF
The broadcast from April 15, 2021 in the ZDF media library.
“Maybrit Illner” leaves uncomfortable questions and answers
The question that is likely to occupy at least the citizens affected by the possible curfew the most is not asked by and by Maybrit Illner on ZDF: Is the plan going to be at home from Wo-auch sometime after 9 p.m. -Always allowed to return, as was already the case in some places in North Rhine-Westphalia? Or does the Baden-Württemberg model apply, in which you just don’t get caught in a traffic jam or the restaurant should take too long to prepare the pick-up order if you don’t want to be fined in addition to all other corona losses and restrictions? But if the somewhat clumsy question on the title topic, whether Merkel’s emergency brake is coming too late, is barely negotiated, it is better not to expect too much real information and transparency in a talk show that is mostly made up of politicians. (Peter Hoch)
