Backing after FDP criticism
Government reaffirms “full confidence” in Wieler
2/7/2022 2:33 p.m
Lothar Wieler can no longer be sure of “the trust of the FDP”. The remaining traffic light parties, on the other hand, are fully behind the RKI President. At the beginning of the week, Deputy Government Spokeswoman Hoffmann emphasized this again in Berlin.
The Federal Government has expressed its confidence in the President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Lothar Wieler, who has been criticized by leading FDP politicians. “I can be brief on this matter: The President of the RKI, Professor Wieler, still enjoys the full confidence of the Federal Government,” said Deputy Government Spokeswoman Chistiane Hoffmann in Berlin. At the weekend, politicians from the coalition parties SPD and Greens had already backed Wieler.
The background to the discussion is the sharp criticism of the FDP politician Bijan Djir-Sarai. The designated Secretary General had told the “Spiegel”: “I have great respect for the achievements of the RKI boss Lothar Wieler in the past two years during the pandemic.” He added: “Due to this recent misconduct, which unfortunately is not an isolated case, Mr. Wieler can no longer be sure of the FDP’s trust.” He was referring to the fact that the RKI had surprisingly shortened the recovered status in mid-January. Many citizens lost their right to go to restaurants, bars or gyms almost overnight.
In the debate about easing the corona policy, the federal government is sticking to its cautious line. A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Health referred to an “extremely high number of new infections”. “Basically, we are on the way to the summit. It can now be assumed that this zenith will be passed in a few weeks and then it will become easier again.”
The spokesman called earlier easing difficult: “It doesn’t make any sense at the moment.” In the federal states, however, opening steps are already being taken. On Tuesday in a week’s time, the federal and state governments will discuss another joint course.