German President Urges Comprehensive Review of Pandemic Policies

Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for transparency on COVID-19 response to rebuild trust in democracy and prevent future crises.

President Steinmeier emphasized the importance of a transparent review of Germany’s pandemic response to address public mistrust and counter conspiracy theories.
He highlighted the need to evaluate key measures, such as school closures and restrictions on freedoms, to determine their necessity and impact.
Steinmeier urged the new Bundestag to seize the opportunity for accountability, framing it as a critical step to strengthen democracy and resilience in future crises.
The speech avoided addressing recent revelations about a suppressed intelligence report suggesting a potential lab origin for the virus, sparking public criticism.
Steinmeier stressed that the review should focus on learning and improving rather than assigning blame or seeking retribution.