The parliamentary inquiry committee tasked with examining Germany’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is set to commence its work this week, sparking immediate calls for greater transparency. Franziska Brantner, a leading figure within the Green party, voiced her concerns regarding the committee’s planned operation, advocating for its sessions to be conducted publicly.
Brantner emphasized the critical need to scrutinize decision-making processes during the pandemic, arguing that such assessment is essential for improved preparedness in the event of future public health crises. While acknowledging the inquiry committee as a positive initial step, she stated that withholding public access is “irresponsible” insisting on a broader societal examination rather than a solely internal report circulating amongst policymakers.
The Bundestag, the German parliament, possesses various forms of committees to investigate complex issues. Unlike a panel of experts, an inquiry committee, like the one now formed, includes both parliamentary representatives and specialists. The Green party, initially advocating for a formal investigative committee focusing specifically on the procurement of facemasks by the Federal Ministry of Health under the leadership of former Minister Jens Spahn (CDU), argued such a body would be exclusively composed of representatives and grant the opposition greater influence.
However, a full investigative committee requires a specific parliamentary threshold to be met, a figure Greens and their Left party allies are currently unable to achieve independently. Establishing such a committee would necessitate support from either the governing coalition fractions or the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.