Ahead of crucial discussions among parliamentary groups regarding the planned review of the coronavirus policy and the mask affair, the Green party is increasing pressure on the governing coalition and putting forward demands for a joint approach.
According to a letter from Irene Mihalic, the First Parliamentary Secretary of the Green parliamentary group, addressed to the SPD and CDU/CSU, the current proposal “falls short and urgently needs to be expanded”. The Green party emphasizes that the review “should not take place behind closed doors, but must be transparent” as reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
This statement sets the tone for a meeting scheduled in the Bundestag on Thursday between the SPD, CDU/CSU, Left party and Greens to discuss whether the four parliamentary groups can still agree on a common course of action for the coronavirus review.
However, the letter makes it clear that the plans of the SPD and CDU/CSU do not yet go far enough for the Green party on key points. “Important aspects, such as the social and societal impacts of the pandemic – particularly the perspectives of families, children and young people, as well as the consideration of mental health – are currently missing” the letter to the inquiry commission states. Mihalic also cautions against holding the inquiry commission without public access, stressing that the population, “deeply affected” by the coronavirus period, must be involved in the review process.
It is also clear that the Green party considers the inquiry commission insufficient. They primarily want the mask affair involving the former Health Minister, Jens Spahn, who is now the leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, to continue to be investigated by a parliamentary inquiry committee. They express their conviction that “it is also in the most fundamental interest of the CDU/CSU and SPD to clarify the serious accusation that billions of euros of taxpayer money were at least negligently wasted under the justification of the special requirements of the coronavirus crisis”.
