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The opposition in the Bundestag has criticized the resolutions of the federal and state governments to extend the corona lockdown until March 7th.

"Anyone who expected that the promise to give people a clear perspective would be kept today was bitterly disappointed," said FDP Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki of the "Rheinische Post" on Thursday.

"A real strategy that goes beyond simple closings and bans is still missing after a pandemic for over a year."

Kubicki criticized the group of heads of government only having presented an “employment program for lawyers”.

"It can be assumed that many entrepreneurs and the self-employed will sue for their constitutional rights."

The AfD took the decisions sharply in court.

Group leader Alice Weidel criticized the extension of the lockdown until March 7th as "fatal".

The damage it causes to the economy and society is "immeasurable".

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The resolution of the federal and state governments stipulates that the existing regulations apply until March 7th.

Retail, sports, cultural and leisure facilities remain closed.

Hairdressers should be able to open again on March 1st subject to hygiene requirements.

The trade should follow if the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants is below 35 within seven days.

Left parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch criticized: "Today's resolutions show that Angela Merkel has walled herself in mentally in lockdown." Instead of offering people a "clear perspective" after weeks in lockdown, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and Chancellery Minister Helge were there Braun (CDU) motionless on the brakes, the left-wing politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group.

Bartsch warned that the next few weeks would be the last nail in the coffin for many companies.

"This is particularly due to Peter Altmaier, whose failures will cost more jobs."

Crafts and travel industry disappointed

The trade and the travel industry also reacted unsatisfied to the federal-state resolutions.

"The epidemiologically based extension of the lockdown continues to be a heavy burden for a large number of craft businesses still affected by closings and threatens to bring many of them to their knees," said the President of the Central Association of German Crafts (ZDH), Hans Peter Wollseifer.

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"In order to avert numerous insolvencies in this situation due to over-indebtedness or illiquidity and to save so many jobs and apprenticeships, we are sticking to our proposal, which has already been made several times, and continue to urge that the loss offset be extended to two, or even better, three years," said Wollseifer .

"Many companies will not survive if aid is not disbursed as quickly as possible or if they can obtain more liquidity in other ways."

The planned opening of hairdressing businesses on March 1st, however, "takes away some of these businesses and their employees' fear of existence and helps to avert a thousandfold job losses," praised the craftsman president.

"This is also an appreciation of the hygiene concepts developed and implemented by our companies."

The German Travel Association (DRV) criticized that the industry was "apart from a brief phase of recovery in the summer de facto in lockdown for a year - without a perspective".

However, this is what the companies and their employees need.

"Many have already had to give up their business or are on the verge of bankruptcy."

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Anyone who “sends entire sectors of the economy into lockdown” must also present “concepts for the restart”, emphasized the association.

"To do this, politicians and the travel industry have to coordinate closely in which steps and under what conditions the industry can resume business."

Lars Feld, on the other hand, considers the extension of the lockdown economically viable.

"Industry and construction are still relatively strong and will remain the backbone of the economic recovery even if the lockdown is extended into March," Feld told the Funke newspapers.

The extension of the lockdown continues to burden economic development.

In view of the concern about a third wave of infections with a mutated virus, it is understandable, said the Chairman of the Expert Council on the assessment of macroeconomic development.

Education associations criticize federal-state resolutions

The German Teachers' Association is also disappointed.

"It must finally be an end to the federal states going it alone in school operations," said President Heinz-Peter Meidinger to the Funke newspapers.

A different approach in the countries weakens the acceptance of political decisions and increases the already great uncertainty of parents, students and teachers.

It is important to have an open perspective "that is responsible, reliable and, above all, permanent," said Meidinger.

School openings with face-to-face teaching in alternation should only take place if the seven-day incidence in the respective region is below the value of 50.

"That should be a nationwide uniform regulation," demanded Meidinger.

According to the new resolutions of the Corona summit, the federal states should decide on their own to open schools and daycare centers.

The chairman of the Association for Education and Upbringing, Udo Beckmann, also called for more tests, medical masks for teachers and daycare staff and uniform rules. "We still consider it essential that the same measures are taken nationwide in the event of a comparable infection occurrence on site." "This is absolutely necessary and must be implemented as quickly as possible."