State leaders and Scholz plan anti-'COVID incitement' rules

Germany's newly-minted Chancellor Olaf Scholz spent part of his first full day in office on Thursday at a meeting with the leaders of the country's 16 federal states. The coronavirus pandemic was the main topic of discussion, with state premiers asking Scholz for clarity from the federal government on a potential legal obligation to be vaccinated for certain key workers, and for new measures against "COVID incitement" online.

Speaking after the meeting, Scholz said that his government was preparing a raft of new measure to tackle the pandemic, promising "we will not wait, we will come together quickly."

All 16 leaders unanimously asked the chancellor to take action against violent conspiracy theory and anti-vaccine groups online. Their plea came a day after state police in Saxony said they were investigating credible death threats against state premier Michael Kretschmer that began in an anti-lockdown group on the messaging app Telegram.

"Death threats and torch-lit processions in front of private houses are unacceptable," they said in a statement, also referring to another incident involving an illegal demonstration outside the home of Saxony's health minister.

Germany has also seen a number of violent anti-restriction protests, as well as many that took place despite bans on public gatherings, all organized online.

The regional leaders said that they "view with great concern the fact that online, an increasing number of conspiracy theories, lies, incitement, hostility, and calls to violence are spread to thousands of people."

They asked Scholz to consider whether laws banning incitement to violence online could be expanded to include pandemic-related incidents. He promised that his new Justice Minister Marco Buschmann "had a great interest" in addressing the issue right away.

Scholz appeals for people to use festive judgment, restraint

As Germany battles its fourth, and most severe, wave of the coronavirus, the state premiers also asked Scholz for clarity over his government's plan to require any employee in the medical or care fields to be vaccinated by March 15. The new coalition government has announced its intention to introduce such a measure, but not provided any further details.

Responding to a question from DW at the press conference, Chancellor Scholz avoided calling for an all-out ban on Christmas and New Year's festivities. He did, however, ask people to keep in mind "the overwhelmed hospitals and the patients in intensive care units," and refrain from "large, unwieldy celebrations," particularly on New Year's Eve, when large crowds tend to form in public squares to light fireworks.

Germany's RKI public health institute reported 70,611 new COVID cases and 465 COVID-related deaths on Thursday, and a nationwide incidence of 422.3 cases per 100,000 people over seven days.

es/msh (dpa, Reuters)