German President Steinmeier Pushes for Urgent Review of COVID-19 Response

Steinmeier emphasizes the need for transparency and learning from pandemic measures, warning of risks to democracy if the process is delayed.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for an immediate post-election review of Germany's COVID-19 policies, pledging to initiate the process himself if the new government fails to act.
The review aims to assess the effectiveness of measures like mask mandates, school closures, and vaccinations, while avoiding a focus on assigning blame.
Steinmeier stressed that transparency is essential to restoring public trust in democracy and preventing the exploitation of unresolved issues by populist movements.
While some political parties, such as the CDU, have expressed openness to a review, previous attempts to establish a formal inquiry have stalled due to disagreements within the government.
The call for reflection comes five years after the first COVID-19 case in Germany, with experts and officials highlighting the importance of learning from past mistakes to prepare for future pandemics.