Politicking Corona: Spahn Fights Back Against Mask Procuring Backlash in the Pandemic
- 2 Min
Spahn denies mask-related charges during the health crisis period - Criticises mandatory use of facial masks during the infectious disease outbreak
Jens Spahn, former Health Minister and current Faction Leader of the Union, defends his actions regarding mask procuring during the Corona pandemic. In the ARD "Report from Berlin", he reiterates the state of emergency at the time, dismissing criticism raised in a previously confidential report by Margarethe Sudhof (SPD). Spahn labels these evaluations as "subjective opinions of an individual".
Spahn the Solo 'King' or Team Player?
"Süddeutsche Zeitung", NDR, and WDR, citing from the Sudhof report, claim that a lack of economic understanding and political ambition under Spahn led to acting as a self-serving 'Team Me', rather than a collaborative 'Team State'.
According to the report, Spahn took many decisions arbitrarily and against the advice of his specialized departments during the pandemic. The report alleges that Spahn chose to manage the mask procuring independently, disregarding the corona crisis staff's decision on March 5, 2020, to coordinate the procurement through the Interior Ministry. The internal criticism was ignored, the report adds.
Spahn Wants Parliamentary Inquiry Commission
Spahn acknowledged in the ARD that, at the beginning of the pandemic, there was little understanding of what was transpiring. Hospitals struggled with mask shortages, and healthcare workers and doctors threatened to strike if they didn't receive masks soon. Masks were in short supply worldwide. "During that time, we didn't procure masks in accordance with procurement law," Spahn said, attributing it to the agreement within the federal government at the time.
The problem then was that the federal procurement offices in the Interior and Defense Ministries could not obtain masks through conventional channels. As a result, the cabinet authorized the Health Ministry to procure masks.
The CDU politician argued for a parliamentary inquiry commission of the Bundestag to be formed swiftly, "ideally" before the summer break. A comprehensive review of the pandemic period is needed.
- Jens Spahn
- Pandemic
- Mask Procuring
- CDU
Insights:
The Sudhof report, which remains confidential, implies that Jens Spahn's mask procurement actions during the pandemic involved non-competitive bidding, although it remains unclear whether the report explicitly states a deviation from a collaborative 'Team State' approach[1][2]. Among the issues examined is Spahn's decision to contract with logistics company Fiege, allegedly without competitive bidding, and the alleged questionable nature of such practices[3]. However, until the report is fully disclosed, the extent of these irregularities and their relationship to a collaborative approach can only be speculated on. The German government's response to the pandemic, including procurement issues, has been under scrutiny, encompassing accusations of favoritism, bypassing competitive processes, and other controversies[1][2].
- Jens Spahn, the former Health Minister and current Faction Leader of the Union, questions the critiques made against him in a confidential report regarding mask procuring during the Corona pandemic. He highlights the state of emergency at the time and labels the evaluations as "subjective opinions of an individual".
- In response to the criticism from the Sudhof report, which suggests a lack of collaboration during the pandemic, Jens Spahn advocates for a parliamentary inquiry commission of the Bundestag to thoroughly review the pandemic period, perhaps before the summer break.
