Starting Wednesday 12 January 2022 (i.e. today), the Bundestag (federal parliament of Germany) can only be accessed by people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (more precisely: either two doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines + test or three doses). This is due to a decree by the president of the Bundestag. Members who are not vaccinated can no longer access the hall. I am surprised this is constitutional and receiving only limited attention, as it would seem to be a rule that excludes elected politicians from democratic participation. Or is there a method provided in which unvaccinated politicians can participate otherwise, such as by proxy or remotely, including in (important) votes, such as the expected vote on mandatory vaccinations?
1 Answer
Members who are not fully vaccinated or recovered get seats in the stands but must be tested. The stands are provided with microphones, ballot boxes and voting cabinets.
Source (Allgemeinverfügung from 12th January 2022):
Mitgliedern des Bundestages, der Bundesregierung und des Bundesrates, die weder vollständig geimpft noch genesen sind, wird bei Nachweis eines negativen Testes eine aktive Teilhabe an der Sitzung auf den Tribünen auf gesondert ausgewiesenen Plätzen ermöglicht. Dort kann der pandemiebedingte Mindestabstand von 1,50 Metern verlässlich eingehalten und somit der Gefahr des höheren Infektionsrisikos begegnet werden. Erklärungen und Redebeiträge können über Saalmikrofone abgegeben, Wahlen und Abstimmungen mittels entsprechender Wahlurnen und Kabinen durchgeführt werden, die dort zur Verfügung stehen.
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1Unless my (crappy) German is mistaken weder vollständig geimpft noch genesen means neither fully vaccinated nor recovered so it would seem as if someone who has already had covid is treated as vaccinated. Commented Jan 13, 2022 at 4:53
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1This is correct. Being recovered has equal status to being vaccinated in Germany.– AuronTLGCommented Jan 13, 2022 at 9:20