Upcoming Corona summit deadline appears to be uncertain as of Monday
Germany's COVID-19 Policymaking Remains Divided Amidst Federal-State Disagreements
As Germany continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, federal-state consultations remain fraught with political disagreements, particularly between CDU-led and SPD-led states. These divisions are hindering consensus on pandemic management and reviews.
The key reasons for these differences include political differences, failed consensus on reappraisal, complex federal structure, and legal and administrative frameworks. The CDU, traditionally favoring more conservative approaches, tends to support stricter restrictions, while the SPD advocates for broader social protections and government intervention.
In October 2024, SPD representatives highlighted the lack of consensus with FDP partners on reappraising government COVID-19 responses, reflecting broader intra-government friction that also affects federal-state talks. Germany's federal system, which grants substantial autonomy to the 16 states, and the resulting challenges in implementing uniform policy, also play a significant role.
The inquiry commission formed in July 2025 expressly includes an evaluation of federal-state cooperation mechanisms and crisis management legal frameworks, which have been strained during the pandemic.
Chancellor Merkel's possible Plan B, as reported by a magazine, involves changing the Infection Protection Act if negotiations fail. However, the SPD-led states' position contrasts with the CDU-led states' favor for an extended, nationwide hard lockdown. Merkel is pushing for a change to the Infection Protection Act if an agreement between the CDU and SPD-led states is not reached by Monday.
The federal government and the states are divided on what should be decided on April 18, with the SPD-led states supporting nationwide uniform regulations, but an agreement among the CDU-led states proving elusive yet again. Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saarland, led by the SPD, are opposed to the extended lockdown and favor moderate openings with mandatory testing.
Incidentally, the incidence rates in these states are comparatively low. On the other hand, the CDU-led states favor an extended, nationwide hard lockdown. Merkel, NRW Minister President Armin Laschet, and Bavaria's head of government Markus Söder (CSU) support the extended lockdown.
The lack of agreement in the Bundesrat poses a significant challenge to Merkel's plan to change the Infection Protection Act. As a result, the federal-state consultations scheduled for April 18 are in jeopardy. The change in the law would have to pass through the Bundesrat, where a majority is unlikely.
As efforts to review the pandemic response begin formally with a Bundestag commission starting work in September 2025, these political and structural differences between CDU-led and SPD-led states continue to complicate collaborative pandemic policymaking and agreement on future measures.
[1] Bundesgesundheitsministerium (2025). Evaluierung der Kooperation zwischen Bund und Ländern bei der Pandemieplanung und -durchführung. Retrieved from https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/coronavirus/evaluierung-der-kooperation-zwischen-bund-und-laender-bei-der-pandemieplanung-und-durchfuhrung.html
[2] Deutscher Bundestag (2024). Corona-Untersuchungsausschuss: Hintergründe und Aktualität. Retrieved from https://www.bundestag.de/corona-untersuchungsausschuss-hintergruende-und-aktualitaet-1070072
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