German parliament votes for controversial lifting of Covid rules

Berlin (dpa) – The German parliament voted on Friday to lift nationwide restrictions introduced to stem the coronavirus pandemic, despite persistently high infection rates.

The legislation – which has been roundly lambasted by state premiers for reducing the measures available to them – was supported by 388 members of the Bundestag, while 277 voted against it and two deputies abstained.

The bill was brought forward by the coalition government of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP). Every opposition party opposed the move.

The incidence rate, representing coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over a one week period, reached another new record on Friday of 1,706.3, according to the Robert Koch Institute for disease control.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach defended the easing in comments to the Bundestag, calling it a “heavy compromise.”

“We can’t continue to shield the whole country to protect a small group of those unwilling to be vaccinated and those not willing to go along with the measures to protect them,” he said.

The SPD minister, a trained epidemiologist, added that the milder omicron variant of the coronavirus was resulting in less pressure on hospitals.

Later Friday, Germany’s second house of parliament, the Bundesrat, which is made up of representatives from the 16 federal states, also approved the bill.

The legislation means nationwide mask requirements will fall away everywhere except in facilities where vulnerable people are housed.

States, however, will still be able to require face coverings on public transport. Regional parliaments will also be able to bring back restrictions in “hotspots” if cases rise again locally.

Coronavirus restrictions, such as testing and vaccination requirements for entry to various parts of public life, had been set to be lifted nationwide from Sunday, although the states are making use of a transitional period meaning measures will remain in place until April 2.

“We’re not at the stage where we can have a Freedom Day,” Lauterbach admitted.