Merkel Holds Covid Crisis Meeting with Successor Government

(Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel held an emergency meeting with leaders of the likely next government coalition Tuesday evening to discuss tougher measures against the escalating Covid crisis.

Merkel’s expected successor, SPD finance minister Olaf Scholz, the Green’s two party leaders Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock, as well as FDP leader Christian Lindner interrupted coalition negotiations in the SPD party headquarters to meet Merkel in the Chancellery, according to a person familiar with the situation. 

Currently, there are no plans for a press conference after the meeting, a government official said.

On Monday, Merkel had made clear in a closed-door meeting of the CDU leadership that the current measures are, in her view, not sufficient. She was quoted as saying that the latest surge in infections is worse than anyything Germany has experienced so far.

A number of state leaders called on Tuesday for obligatory vaccinations. In the past, Merkel’s government had ruled out such a step.    

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