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Armin Laschet does not even try to make the situation more bearable for his coalition partner FDP.
North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister is campaigning for understanding for the extended lockdown, backing the resolutions of the Corona summit and even clearly criticizing calls for opening plans, which also come from free democrats in particular.
In this situation it is “an illusion to believe that one can plan it step by step”.
He would “continue to advocate driving on sight” and “if possible to open wherever possible,” explains Laschet with unusual harshness.
"To do everything to prevent a third wave"
Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the next steps in the corona pandemic with the 16 prime ministers.
Here NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet explains the results.
Source: WORLD
The briefing in the state parliament on Thursday was not just about the results of the Prime Minister's Conference with the Chancellor and the consequences that can be drawn from them.
Actually, it was also about the fact that Laschet is faced with the task of pacifying an increasingly troubled coalition partner.
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For the new CDU party leader, it would be a burden if cracks developed in his alliance with the FDP - just a few months before the general election.
Destabilization would also weaken the 59-year-old from Aachen, who has envisaged the candidate for Union chancellor as the next intermediate goal in his ambitions for the Chancellery.
Stability and balance in the black and yellow government
For almost four years, the NRW Prime Minister has been supported by an almost harmonious coalition of the CDU and FDP.
The coalition factions have a majority of only one vote in parliament, it doesn't get any closer.
This ensures maximum discipline among MPs.
The fact that there have been no major differences so far and that there is trust is also due to the fact that things work together on a human level.
In addition to Laschet and the Deputy Prime Minister Joachim Stamp (FDP), the two parliamentary group leaders Bodo Löttgen (CDU) and Christof Rasche (FDP) take care of stability and balance.
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Laschet has so far praised the coalition partner beyond measure, leaves a lot of space for profiling and even publicly defends the often criticized NRW Education Minister Yvonne Gebauer (FDP).
In October, the Prime Minister and NRW Economics Minister Andreas Pinkwart (FDP) presented a Federal Council initiative to reduce bureaucracy and unleash the economy.
Both signaled that there was a model for the federal government on the Rhine.
"I appreciate the cooperation with the FDP," Laschet emphasized at the time.
The coalition is based on "a fundamental conviction that applies to very many policy areas".
However, the pandemic shows more and more unrest in the FDP, which has been growing for months - because of the ongoing restrictions on fundamental rights that are imposed on citizens in lockdown.
Incidence values and the situation in retirement homes and hospitals are also decisive for the Free Democrats.
But their NRW state ministers also see clear social and economic upheavals as a result of crisis management in the central departments for which they are responsible, such as family, daycare, school, business.
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At the end of October, FDP parliamentary group leader Rasche complained in a state parliament debate about the closure of all restaurants and the ban even on contactless club sports.
“We as the FDP parliamentary group consider one or the other measure to be excessive.
In some cases, we also consider them to be possibly counterproductive, "said Rasche, adding:" We have to prevent a permanent loop of lockdowns and openings. "
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This controlled advance also served as a relief valve for his faction.
But this effect only lasted for a short time, followed by the next explosion of infection, the renewed lockdown with corresponding restrictions on basic rights.
Since the incidence values have been falling, there has been increasing pressure in the FDP to pursue an opening strategy.
Last week, the government vice and FDP country chief Stamp presented a five-stage model.
Stamp emphasized that it was only a personal "suggestion" - but he indirectly made it clear to Laschet what expectations exist in his party.
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In a state parliament debate on Tuesday, one day before the federal-state summit, Laschet praised the “excellent” plan and countered the impression that there were differences in his coalition.
On that day, however, an unusual dissonance could be heard: CDU parliamentary group leader Löttgen criticized step-by-step plans in a strikingly harsh manner, it sounded like a fundamental rejection.
In a second round, Löttgen added that he had not said that a step-by-step plan could not come.
He only wanted to address disadvantages.
FDP parliamentary group leader Rasche did not go into this further and called for “responsible openings” and an exit strategy.
At least it had become clear how difficult it is to maintain a common stance in the fight against pandemics.
Laschet has earned a lot of trust in the FDP because he had already campaigned for an exit strategy during the first wave of pandemics in spring 2020 and urged the observance of basic rights.
Laschet has so far formulated his pandemic strategy as follows: “If the number of infections drops, encroachments on fundamental rights must be withdrawn.
If the number of infections increases, protective measures must be strengthened. "
But this principle has become secondary because of the virus mutations.
Laschet is now more similar in diction to Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), who favors caution and prohibitions.
However, the longer the crisis lasts, the more difficult it will be for Laschet to drive his course and at the same time keep his coalition calm.
As Prime Minister and CDU party leader, Laschet has to meet the demands of two coalition committees.
He is not only committed to the - nationwide only - black-yellow coalition in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also to the grand coalition in the federal government.
The FDP, in turn, is caught in the tension between government responsibility in NRW and the opposition in the federal government.
The low poll numbers of the Free Democrats and the approaching federal and state elections make the situation even more complicated.
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When the Bund-Länder-Round replaced the previously relevant incidence value of 50 new infections within a week with the sharper limit of 35, some in the FDP broke the collar.
Henning Höne, at least the parliamentary managing director of the FDP state parliamentary group, wrote on Twitter: "The Chancellery is gambling away the most important currency in the #pandemic: The #trust of the population."
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His parliamentary group colleague Marcel Hafke criticized: “A non-constitutional body decides again on an entire nation.
The driver of the decision is the fear of a mutation - although viruses are constantly mutating.
It would be more correct - test, vaccinate and learn to live with # COVID19.
I'm disappointed …"
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This disappointment also broke through on Thursday in the debate on Laschet's briefing of the state parliament.
FDP parliamentary group leader Rasche first emphasized that the black-yellow coalition worked together “excellently”.
He praised Laschet for the results of the Corona summit: After all, daycare centers and schools are being opened up more widely, and a nationwide incidence value is no longer decisive, but a nationwide one.
"That is an impressive success of this NRW coalition."
But then Rasche spoke about the "disappointment" in the population and in the FDP.
The next federal-state round on March 3rd, the extended lockdown until March 7th - "that's just too late," said Rasche.
"The internal logic of the measures is missing"
The opposition is responding to the latest Corona resolutions by shaking their heads.
"The internal logic of the measures is missing," says FDP boss Lindner.
Not only hairdressers, but also other areas of life should also be opened in compliance with hygienic conditions.
Source: WORLD
The FDP had accepted the seven-day incidence value of 50 new infections, but suddenly a new incidence value of 35 was “surprising for everyone”.
People don't understand that.
"Now we need perspectives, hope, creative solutions with clear hygiene concepts for retail, sport, culture, restaurants, for all possible areas."
Laschet's dilemma is obvious.
In the black-yellow coalition negotiations in 2017, the FDP had set a central condition: NRW was "not the extended workbench of the federal government".
FDP country chief Stamp first reminded of this a few weeks ago - in his letter of congratulations to Laschet after he was elected CDU chief.