Social effects: Corona Commission of the Bundestag can start

A good two years after the end of the last nationwide corona restrictions, the Bundestag is a comprehensive reappraisal of pandemic and its consequences. The parliament decided with a large majority to establish an Enquete Commission. Union, SPD, Greens and Leftists voted. The AfD had no votes and abstentions. The committee with MPs and experts should start work in September and present a report with knowledge and recommendations by mid -2027.

SPD parliamentary group vice Dagmar Schmidt said: “The Commission should investigate what worked well, but also where there were deficits-and how we can draw specific teachings for future crises.” Union parliamentary group vice Albert Stegemann (CDU) said that it was about an honest analysis of the Corona period. In contrast to party political blame, it enables constructive discussion to strengthen trust in state action.

The Commission is involved in the Greens and the Left, even if they also request an investigation committee to buy mask purchases of the then minister Jens Spahn (CDU). Helge Limburg (Greens) said that the Commission “can” make a small contribution to social reconciliation “. The AfD called for a U-committee for a “relentless” Corona processing instead of a “commissioner”, as MP Stephan Brandner said. Ates Gürpinar (left) made it clear that an investigation committee would never be enforced with the votes of the AfD.

Crisis of “historical scope”

The future commission is: “Refurbishing Corona pandemic and teaching for future pandemic events”. Pandemic has confronted citizens, civil society, state institutions, companies, art and culture from 2019 to 2023 with challenges “of historical and not an extended scope since the Second World War,” the application says. In order to avert serious consequences for risk groups, be it to solidarity – and weighing up the consequences for business and society and a proportionate design of interventions of fundamental rights.

A comprehensive, scientifically sound processing of pandemic and state and social action is essential in order to draw reliable conclusions for the future, the investigation goal says. The leading should be “that all measures and decisions can only be assessed against the background of the information status at the relevant time”. Despite many investigations, for example, in the countries, for example, many would have the impression that the pandemic had not yet been sufficiently processed.

In the previous election period, immediately after the acute crisis, an evaluation of the protective measures with masks, tests and closures at the federal level did not come about. A citizen council was discussed, for example, but the traffic light coalition did not agree. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also warned a reappraisal: “What we do not speak openly just nourishes conspiracy theories and new distrust.” The Union and SPD then agreed an Enquete Commission in the coalition agreement. It is a format for large, complex topics. The French word “enquête” means investigation.

The Commission should belong to 14 MPs and 14 experts. The CDU MP Franziska Hoppermann has been nominated as chair. The Union can name five MPs, AfD and SPD three each, the Greens two and the left a MP. The experts should be named in agreement – with the appropriate participation of the federal states and municipalities and a balanced representation of the scientific disciplines and areas of society. If there is no agreement, the parliamentary groups should name the experts as after the MP key.

A number of aspects should be illuminated:

Early detection with pandemic plans and preventive care. The legal framework and parliamentary control. The measures against virus spread with effects on children and adolescents, older and dying. Vaccinations and the procurement of protective equipment such as masks and tests. Help for companies and the labor market. Effects on culture, tourism, volunteers and clubs.

The Commission should be able to hold public hearings from experts, stakeholders and those affected and obtain expert opinions. Perspectives and experiences of citizens could “be included in particular by public formats,” the application says. An “age -appropriate survey” of children and adolescents is also possible. The “ongoing knowledge acquisition” and results should be made accessible to the public in a suitable form – taking into account particularly in need of protection.

The Commission is intended to submit a comprehensive final report to the Bundestag by June 30, 2027 with knowledge and recommendations for action. There can also be intermediate reports on concluded aspects, which should enable earlier parliamentary and political employment. All members of the Commission can also submit special votes. The final report will also be published by minutes of the meetings if the Commission has not met publicly.