German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, March 31, 2021. REUTERS / Hannibal Hanschke / Pool
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday urged lawmakers to approve new powers that would allow her to enforce coronavirus lockdowns and curfews in areas with high infection rates, saying a majority of Germans support was of tougher measures.
“The third wave of the pandemic has taken a firm hold on our country,” said Merkel, whose speech in parliament was interrupted by disagreement from lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany party opposed to lockdowns.
‘Intensive care workers send one emergency call after another. Who are we to ignore their pleas? ‘ Merkel said.
Her government wants parliament to amend the Infection Protection Act to allow federal authorities to enforce restrictions even if regional leaders oppose them, hoping to ease pressure on intensive care units.
The imposition of a curfew and granting the federal government the power to impose them on the 16 German states has also drawn criticism from Merkel’s conservative bloc, whose polls suggest their worst ever result will be in the national election in September.
Unlike Britain and France, Germany is reluctant to impose drastic restrictions on movement in a country that fiercely protects democratic freedoms because of its Nazi and communist past.
Opponents of the lockdown have held demonstrations across Germany, but especially in the former East, which is showing more support for the AfD. The far-right party says restrictions have failed to stop the pandemic and are doing more damage to both the economy and people’s mental health.
Merkel acknowledged in her speech that the new powers were not a bulletproof solution to the pandemic, which she said could only be defeated with vaccinations.
AfD parliamentary leader Alice Weidel said the new measures were an unprecedented attack on basic democratic freedoms.
“The proposed amendments to the Infection Protection Act are an alarming document from an authoritarian state,” said Weidel. “This relapse into the authoritarian demon comes from the Chancellery and you, Madame Chancellor.”
Merkel stared at her smartphone during most of Weidel’s speeches.
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