Franziska Hoppermann, chair of the Bundestag’s Enquete Commission on the COVID‑19 pandemic, says Germany is not adequately prepared for future pandemics. She called for tighter regulations and clearer legislation that explicitly states what actions will be taken in each circumstance and how decisions are reached. Hoppermann pointed out that it remains unclear how cooperation between the federal government, the Länder, and municipalities operates during a cross‑border or nationwide disaster. While work has been done on the Infection Protection Act, there is no federal disaster‑protection law that defines the composition of crisis teams. She proposed both a federal disaster‑protection law and a national health council to address this gap.
Hoppermann also criticized the Commission’s internal cooperation. She said the Bundestag has already faced situations it has not encountered before, referring to experts who named AfD members. Some behaved in ways that were not appropriate toward the House and its rules, she said, and Parliament will see how much adjustment is needed. The Commission has been meeting for six months under Hoppermann’s chair and reconvenes again on Thursday.