A few days before the federal-state summit, the planned traffic light coalition is preparing the state for new corona restrictions.

In view of the steep rise in the number of cases, the heads of the SPD, Greens and FDP warned at the weekend that the situation would worsen and signaled further measures.

The SPD chairwoman Saskia Esken pleaded for a tightening of the draft to amend the Infection Protection Act presented by the traffic light parties. "It is very possible and I would also support it in places that we sharpen the bill again," Esken told the ARD capital studio on Saturday evening. In addition to regular corona tests for employees in areas such as nursing or in schools, discussions should be held “Also a compulsory vaccination in these areas.” Regarding a possible further lockdown, Esken said: “We want to make it possible that everyone is well protected and that we can get through the winter well with restrictions on those who are sensible, who are vaccinated who also get tested regularly, who get a booster vaccination so that they don't have to endure these restrictions. "

FDP boss Christian Lindner told the editorial network in Germany that if "meaningful additions are proposed when the new Infection Protection Act is being discussed in the Bundestag on Monday, the Free Democrats are always open to them". Vaccination breakthroughs and infection dynamics established "a new situation to which we must react," emphasized Linder. "We need new and effective measures."

The Greens chairman Robert Habeck told the newspapers of the Funke media group: "The situation in Germany is extremely dramatic." Contact restrictions for unvaccinated people could be necessary regionally. In addition, the countries would need the opportunity to cancel events if the epidemic situation made it necessary. He believes compulsory vaccination for certain occupational groups makes sense, said Habeck. Strict 2-G rules by the federal states are also necessary.

The SPD, the Greens and the FDP have introduced a draft for changes to the Infection Protection Act in the Bundestag, according to which the epidemic situation will expire on November 25 and the states' possibilities for action will be limited. According to current planning, there should be no more lockdowns, comprehensive school closings and curfews. The argument put forward is that such tough measures no longer stand up in court.

Criticism of this comes mainly from the ranks of the Union. The CDU / CSU parliamentary group wants to apply for an extension of the epidemic situation, as the Rheinische Post reported on the weekend. She also proposes changes for the revision of the Infection Protection Act planned by the traffic light parties: Employers should be given the right to ask questions in order to be able to determine the vaccination status of their employees.

The executive head of the Chancellery, Helge Braun (CDU), accused the SPD candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the SPD-led countries in the Welt am Sonntag with a "delaying tactic". Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) told Bild am Sonntag: “The traffic light's corona policy is extremely dangerous. The decision-making speed of the new coalition in Berlin is too slow. While the traffic light politicians in Berlin are talking about the fact that there is no pandemic situation, the number of infections is exploding across the country. The employees in the hospitals have to unload this policy. ”From Kretschmer's point of view, the federal-state meeting on Thursday on the corona situation comes too late. “The federal and state governments worked together to fight this pandemic for 18 months. Now the traffic lights want to pass their law first and then talk to the prime minister.That's bad style. "