Friday, December 03, 2021
“Freedom and Health Protection”
Graf Lambsdorff: FDP has to support tougher measures
Above all, the FDP accuse many experts of slowing down stricter corona measures. However, the party wants to face responsibility and is moving away from some positions. Group vice Lambsdorff adjusts his party to further concessions in the future government.
FDP parliamentary group deputy Alexander Graf Lambsdorff prepared his party for political concessions in the corona policy before joining the future federal government. In view of the pandemic situation as a ruling party, the FDP must adjust to a more restrictive line, said Lambsdorff. “That is difficult for some of our supporters, but the FDP is a party with a great government tradition and will therefore also make responsible politics. Consistent health protection with the greatest possible social freedom also means restrictive measures in a difficult situation that we have to decide with”, so the liberal.
In the opposition, the FDP had taken the position that the restrictions caused by the corona measures had to be reduced to a minimum. The FDP ruled out new lockdown measures at the time. She was also the driving force behind the decision with the traffic light partners SPD and Greens to let the pandemic emergency identified by the Bundestag expire as the legal basis for many corona restrictions.
Lindner is now calling for a general vaccination requirement
Shortly before joining the traffic light government, which is planned for next week, the FDP has taken a harder line. Most recently, party leader Christian Lindner spoke out in favor of a general corona vaccination requirement – until recently, such an attitude was taboo in the FDP. As a ruling party, the FDP must face the critical corona situation, said Lambsdorff. “The word of Wolfgang Schäuble applies: Government is a rendezvous with reality.”
FDP board member Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann spoke out in favor of the FDP, as a ruling party, advocating maximum freedom. “A general lockdown is still a very, very bad situation for us,” said Strack-Zimmermann. “We’re not among the lockdown callers.” Lockdowns might “be required locally,” she said. “If possible no lockdown, if possible no school closings – that is still a high value for us.”
On Sunday, a federal party conference of the FDP is to vote on the coalition agreement with the SPD and the Greens. Broad approval is expected. Within the party, the coalition negotiations are widely regarded as successful for the FDP. Lambsdorff, however, contradicted the assessment that the FDP, as the smallest coalition partner, had prevailed on crucial points at the expense of the SPD and the Greens. “In terms of minimum wages and pension policy, for example, the SPD tended to prevail, and the SPD also has the Federal Chancellery, where it has a very strong role anyway,” he said.
“The Greens have also set accents and received important ministries: Robert Habeck’s Ministry of Economics, Energy and Climate in particular gives him a wide range of tools,” said Lambsdorff. “So I do not believe that we have unduly prevailed, but that it is the chance for all coalition partners to realize themselves.” Strack-Zimmermann added that there was “a great deal of approval in the party for our ministries – finance, education, justice and digital, these are precisely the core issues that we have emphasized very much in recent years.”