In a letter to Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), the health policy spokesman for the Union faction in the Bundestag, Tino Sorge (CDU), sharply criticized his work since taking office at the beginning of December. The letter, which is available to WELT, says: “We are experiencing a health policy of volts and U-turns, a restless back and forth of announcements and withdrawals.”
The result is a loss of trust – “not only among the citizens, but also in their own coalition and in the affected institutions that are not involved in groundbreaking decisions”.
Read the full letter here
“Dear Minister, our country’s health policy has come to a standstill,” continued Sorge. The Ministry is caught in paralyzing stagnation. The letter was triggered by Lauterbach’s withdrawal of the draft law on ex-post triage earlier this week, which Sorge described as “one of numerous maneuvers that are causing growing uncertainty in the professional world, in the health sector and above all among the public”.
In addition, he criticized, among other things, the ordering of horrific quantities of corona vaccines and Lauterbach’s behavior in the dispute over the evaluation of corona measures; WELT and WELT AM SONNTAG had reported intensively on both topics.
Sorge wrote: “Instead of promoting the full evaluation of corona measures by the expert committee, you are slowing down a clear legal mandate and criticizing those who ask uncomfortable questions”. Also objectionable according to concern: Lauterbach’s fear of a possible Covid “killer variant” – and his dealings with employees: “Instead of admitting possible mistakes in the Health Committee, you recently threatened your own employees with ‘personal consequences’ in the event of ‘indiscretions’. . A minister should always stand in front of his own staff. If he has to threaten them after a few months in office, he doesn’t have his house under control.”
Concern also criticized Lauterbach’s regular absence from meetings of the health committee. He was only present on five out of 16 appointments. Sorge wrote: “This is clearly not enough for a constructive, democratic relationship between parliament and government and a fair dispute between government and opposition.”
The Union politician called on Lauterbach to engage in debates in Parliament and to end the “stalemate in health policy” that, according to Sorge.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Health did not initially comment on the letter at the request of WELT.
