The federal government has rejected calls for additional meetings of the Prime Ministers, citing efforts to manage the current crisis. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius told the dts news agency on Monday that the ministers already meet frequently enough. “The right approach would be direct conversation, not a televised talk show” he added.
His statement was a direct response to a public complaint made by Manuela Schwesig, the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Schwesig had sharply criticized the federal government during an airing of “Caren Miosga” on Sunday evening, specifically targeting the failed attempt to implement a €1,000 relief premium without prior consultation with the federal states.
In the broadcast, Schwesig called the action “unprofessional” and characterized it as a warning sign that Germany’s current approach was unsustainable. She argued that when facing enormous responsibilities, the federal core could not solve the problems alone. According to Schwesig, a full Prime Ministers Conference was necessary, and the social partners should also have been involved from the outset.
