Corona in Germany: families at the limit? Giffey demands a quick solution to daycare problems

• The spread of the Corona virus* in Germany continues to slow down – but the crisis is not over.
• After the first easing* The federal states are now sending very different signals.
• A guide through reporting on the Corona crisis as well a map with current case numbers offers Merkur.de *.

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Update, 3.35 p.m .: Leader SPD politician have in the Corona crisis demanded a greater burden on people with high incomes. A relief would now be needed “for everyone who cannot face the crisis with a solid financial cushion,” said SPD boss Norbert Walter Borjans.

Relief in the lower income range should be counter-financed “with a correspondingly higher contribution from top income”, demanded Walter-Borjans. In addition, where necessary, also one Loan financing required, the SPD leader continued. Of the black zero in the federal budget, he gave a rejection: this “would be poison in these times”. He received support from the finance minister Olaf Scholz.

The FDP parliamentary group member Michael Theurer was critical of this. He spoke of a “partisan debate motivated at the wrong time”.

Corona in Germany: families at the limit? Giffey demands a quick solution to daycare problems

Update, 1:15 p.m .: In the Corona crisis demands family minister Franziska Giffey quick solutions for families with children. “For me it is very clear that the well-being of families must have a high priority in the gradual reopening,” said the SPD politician. “A blanket statement that Daycare centers stay closed until the summer, cause even more stress for many families and cannot be the only answer. “Parents, children, educators needed a perspective – weighed against the background of the infection process.

From Monday (April 20), a working group of federal states, the federal government and experts should develop guidelines, such as a gradually Reopening of the Daycare centers can look like. “It is a matter of carefully considered steps without success in the fight against the spread of the Corona virus to annihilate, ”emphasized Giffey. Families are currently reaching their limits, parents – especially women and single parents – are “burdened beyond what is reasonable”. “It goes well for a while, but the situation becomes intolerable with increasing duration,” she warned Minister of Family Affairs.

Nationwide protective mask regulation? Country chief is certain – “soon to be mandatory”

Update, April 19, 12.30 p.m .: Unrest in Bavaria: The free voters call for an immediate mask – and question Markus Söder’s Corona course.

Update from 3:51 p.m.: For him, the are hotly debated Protective masks * just none mandatory, because not enough of them are available yet: Prime Minister of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil (SPD) expects “that everyday protective masks will soon be part of our public life” and about in Local transport generally “soon become a duty”.

However, such a step can only take place “as soon as they are sufficiently available,” said Weil der Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung. keep distance and hygiene be in the fight against Corona pandemic also “the key to success”.

The city too Wolfsburg wants a mask requirement on Monday until May 6th introduce. Children under the age of six are exempt.

“Barely nonsense”: SPD boss takes on Corona Germany’s top earners

Update from April 18: Norbert Walter-Borjans has one greater strain of people with high income required. A relief would now be needed “for everyone who cannot face the crisis with a solid financial cushion,” the SPD chairman told the Funke media group with a view to workers, short-time workers, pensioners and traders. This should be counter-financed “with a correspondingly higher contribution from top income”.

In addition, where necessary Loan financing required, Walter-Borjans said. The SPD leader gave the black zero in the federal budget a rejection: This “would be poison in these times”.

Corona fiscal policy: tax cuts for millionaires?

Walter Borjans turned to the rich against economic and social challenges posed by the crisis against lower tax demands. “Tax cuts for millionaires, such as those demanded by the CDU, CSU and FDP, are therefore nonsense,” he said. The state will be in the next few years more and not less money need, also for planned investments in education, transport, digitization and climate protection. The countries affected by Corona also receive astronomical financial aid from the EU pot, as Ursula von der Leyen recently announced.

The Federal Government already has an additional one for the current year Borrowing of 156 billion euros decided because of the crisis. Whether this is sufficient is very questionable. In addition, massive burdens due to higher government expenditures and lower income are expected in the following years.

Walter-Borjans therefore also urged to close tax loopholes for global corporations and “finally get serious about combating money laundering”. Before that, the party colleagues Olaf Scholz and Hubertus Heil also voted for Tax increases for high earners pronounced.

Corona chaos? Federal states going it alone – another thinks of concerts

Kiel / Dresden – The situation is unusual to threatening, for many people – for example parents – also grueling in the country: has been around for a month Germany in the corona shutdown. thousands of people have died since the epidemic began, Inner cities are swept clean, numerous entrepreneurs fear for their existence.

And at the same time the cup of the very big one went Virus disaster at least past the Federal Republic again. The clinics were not overwhelmed. Perhaps because the worst is yet to come: The pandemic, experts emphasize, is still at the very beginning.

It would not seem an exaggeration to say that the country is in the potentially deadly dilemma. Between health protection and saving the economy, between caution and hope – and currently also between discipline and the first feelings of spring. A conflict that is increasingly evident in the actions of Germany’s top politicians shows.

Corona virus: From Merkel to Spahn – Confusing signals from politics

Had long Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and also the Prime Ministers remained silent. Now there has been movement in the debate. After appearances by Chancellor Angela Merkel, Health Minister Jens Spahn, from the differently polarized Corona pioneers Armin Laschet (all CDU) and Markus Söder (CSU), according to new data from RKI boss Lothar Wieler, the country now knows at least: the situation has improved, the ominous number R has decreased, first easing for business, and in Bavaria, which has been particularly strict to date, for the population, are on the way.

But after long weeks of guesswork about the next small steps, all statements from politics have a special weight. And – despite praise from the USA – the federal states are now threatening to take very different paths. More confusion threatens. Is fast recovery approaching now? Or is it going to be an even tougher time, as feared by Bavaria’s deputy prime minister Hubert Aiwanger (free voters)?

Corona: Saxony is tightening corona rules – in the north you think of concerts

The first go it alone on Friday Saxony daring. The country of Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) introduced a mask requirement. The regulation will apply from Monday, said Kretschmer after a meeting of the State Cabinet in Dresden. It does not have to be expensive to cover the nose and mouth FFP2 mask the head of government emphasized that a simple cloth or a scarf would suffice. It followed later in the evening Mecklenburg-West Pomerania with a similar rule.