Angela Merkel faces rebellion from regional leaders over Covid rules

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Bavarian Federal State Premier Markus Soeder

Angela Merkel was facing a coronavirus rebellion on Monday as German regional leaders rejected her proposals for new lockdown restrictions.

The German chancellor wanted to impose tough new measures including reducing school hours and making facemasks compulsory for children of all ages.

Germans would have been limited to social contact with one other designated household, while outside school children would only be allowed to meet with one designated friend.

But her proposals were torn up by the heads of Germany’s 16 states in fiery video conference talks that overran by more than three hours.

Mrs Merkel attempted to brush over the dispute when a televised press conference eventually got underway. Regional leaders had agreed to postpone any decision on new restrictions until next week, she said. But there was no hiding what was a clear defeat.

Coronavirus Germany Spotlight Chart — cases default

“We have agreed that the lockdown agreed in October is not enough. We have to reduce contacts even more,” Mrs Merkel said.

But the measures agreed at the talks stopped far short of detailed proposals from Mrs Merkel’s chancellery leaked in advance.

Mrs Merkel was able to announce plans to distribute free FFP2 masks to over-65s and those with pre-existing conditions. But more ambitious plans to limit social contacts were shelved for further discussion.

Mrs Merkel urged Germans to avoid unnecessary trips on public transport and visits to public spaces. But proposals tpo enforce a limit of meeting only two people from another household were quietly dropped.

Under Germany’s federal system it is the governments of the 16 states that have the final say over lockdown measures, and regional leaders openly accused Mrs Merkel of trying to bounce them into accepting new measures without discussion.

“These are not proposals that have been discussed or agreed with the states. On the contrary. They are disproportionate with regard to children, young people & schools. Such action by the chancellery leads to uncertainty,” Manuela Schwesig, the regional prime minister of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, wrote on Twitter.

“The mood at the meeting is very bad,” sources close to Armin Laschet, the influential head of Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, said.

One measure that did win the support of regional leaders was an appeal from Mrs Merkel for Germans to self-isolate if they experienced the symptoms of a common cold, such as coughing or a runny nose. But the advice was ridiculed by business leaders.

“I hope you are aware that everyone has a cold at this time of year,” the German Employers’ Association wrote in a letter to Mrs Merkel. “To put it bluntly: we would have to do without every employee who calls in the morning and says he has a cold. This would effectively paralyze all businesses in a very short time.”