German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has welcomed the willingness to establish an inquiry commission to address the COVID-19 era. In an interview with the “New Berlin Editorial Society” (Thursday editions), Steinmeier said, “In the aftermath of the pandemic, there is a massive chance for our democracy.” He emphasized, “Accountability creates the chance to win back people who have lost trust in democracy.”
The German President has been advocating for a pandemic review for some time, with a previous attempt in the coalition government of the Ampel failing due to disagreements over the format. Steinmeier has been traveling the country with his “Ortszeit Deutschland” initiative, also aiming to address the pandemic’s aftermath. “Since the end of the pandemic and a period of silence, it has been my concern to get society talking to itself again” he said. The 16th “Ortszeit” event is scheduled to take place in Neuruppin, Brandenburg, next week.