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Gerhard Sillmann asks:

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Why is there no large
panel of experts to help tackle COVID 19?

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The impression is being created
that only a very few experts

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recommend one-sided
measures,

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and these are then implemented
by the Federal and State Governments.

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The Federal Government is in
regular contact with experts.

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Our initial request for expert advice
always goes to the Robert Koch Institute,

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because there’s a great deal of
collective expertise there.

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We also have very
regular contact

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with the
research institutions,

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especially the Leopoldina,

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but also with the
Helmholtz Institutes

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and university hospitals.

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As part of that, we also
regularly ask for

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their personal
impressions and opinions

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on the various
aspects of the COVID 19 pandemic.

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In other words, there’s
no fixed panel of experts.

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Instead, we have a regular,
ongoing

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and intensive exchange
with the experts.

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Chrischi Claus asks:

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I cannot understand
the government’s logic:

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Most of the infections
occur in the private sphere.

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Restaurants and pubs
have adhered to the rules,

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are subject to strict checks,
and now have to close.

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This makes no
sense to me, unless

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the government wants
the virus to spread.

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It would make more sense
to ban parties at home,

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but
keep pubs and restaurants open,

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and use them as venues
for controlled gatherings.

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That would really
help everyone.

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So, first of all,
it’s not our intention

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to have the virus spread
among the population.

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Rather, our goal is to
have so few infections

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that we can always
trace contacts,

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and thereby stop the exponential
increase in infections.

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Unfortunately, that’s the situation
right now, and it’s also the reason

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Why, in three-quarters of the
cases, we no longer know

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where the infection has come from.

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You’re absolutely right

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that the private sphere
is a significant factor.

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That’s why we’ve also

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imposed extensive contact
restrictions here,

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both in public
and at home:

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namely, that celebrations or
parties are not allowed,

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that only two
households

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may meet
with up to a maximum

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of ten people.

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This means that even if two
people who live alone meet,

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then the limit has
already been reached.

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And these contact restrictions
in the private sphere

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are a very big
part of our measures.

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However, in the current situation,
this alone is not enough.

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We’ve therefore decided
to do even more.

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And since our top priority is to
keep schools and nurseries open,

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we’ve focused on
leisure activities.

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And this includes
restaurants.

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I admit that there were
very, very many restaurants

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which had and still have very good
hygiene protocols.

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These hygiene protocols
will also be required in future.

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But at the moment, with the
very, very high infection rate,

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such hygiene protocols can 
no longer have the effect

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which they actually should have.

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So right now we have to focus
on reducing contacts.

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And every visit
to a restaurant,

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the theatre,

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or the cinema,
involves using public transport.

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Someone moves from
point A to point B,

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and chats a bit
beforehand and afterwards.

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And all of this
must be reduced,

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so we can once again
reach a level

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where we can
trace contacts.

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This is unpleasant and difficult.

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And that’s why there’s 
substantial compensation

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for those affected, who
are now making sacrifices for

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all of us. We want to protect them
economically as far as possible,

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and enable them to
continue operating.

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Florian Heimann asks:

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When there is a
vaccine,

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who must, should and can
be vaccinated?

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And when will all the
restrictions be lifted?

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We’re hopeful

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that pretty soon, the first
vaccines will be approved.

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Of course there won’t
be enough vaccines available at first.

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Above all, I would like to
once again state:

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no one will be forced
to get vaccinated.

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It will remain a
personal decision.

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The question of ‘Who will
be vaccinated first?’

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is being discussed with the
Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO),

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with the
German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

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and with
the Ethics Commission.

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But I think I can
already reveal that

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the first to be vaccinated will
naturally include nursing staff,

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doctors and also people who
belong to a high-risk group.

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However, this includes
many people in our country.

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And the preparations for
the vaccinations are underway.

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The federal states are also now
planning vaccination centres.

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We’ll see then

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how many vaccines we
have available,

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and how long the
vaccine provides immunity.

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And that’s the
central task:

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we want to make
the entire population

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immune to
the virus.

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We know from other
epidemics

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that if approximately
60 to 70% of the population

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becomes immune,
whether it’s through

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having the disease
or 

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through vaccination,

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that the virus is then
more or less defeated.

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Then we can 
lift all restrictions.

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Until then, we must
continue to live with certain

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restrictions due to
the virus.

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Miriam Blumberg asks:

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Dr Merkel, what will be
done in future in the German nursing care sector

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to improve conditions
for employees?

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Particularly during the COVID 19 pandemic, the
situation is escalating once again.

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Yes, that’s true.

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But nurses
are of course

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a very important pillar
of our society.

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And that’s why, especially
in recent years, irrespective

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of COVID 19, we have improved
a great deal in nursing field,

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both for inpatient care,
where we have around 830,000 patients,

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and also for the
millions 

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who are outpatients
or nursed at home.

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How have we
done this?

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First of all, we abolished fees
for training.

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These were actually
a relic from the past.

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In future, as with other
professions requiring vocational training,

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those taking up this career
will be paid.

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We’ve improved
the training.

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We’ve introduced a
minimum wage in nursing,

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and, in a joint effort, are also

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strongly encouraging collective
bargaining in the nursing sector.

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The latest wage agreements
in the public sector in particular

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have resulted in a significant
increase for nursing staff.

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We have also now
awarded a special

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bonus to nursing staff
during the COVID 19 pandemic.

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So a lot is being done
to upgrade this profession.

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This cannot be achieved
in two or three years.

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On the contrary, it will 
continue for many years to come:

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especially the
issue of time management.

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This concerns matters such as: when do I have a
right to days off?

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When can I be sure
that I won’t always

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be summoned to
work again?

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These are very important matters.

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We will continue to work on them.

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Peter Linzmaier asks:

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Why do you never
ask the German people

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before you
make decisions?

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We ask the German
people every four years.

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Then, the people elect
a new Federal Government,

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which comes from a new
Federal Parliament (Bundestag).

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And the members of the Bundestag
have all stood for election,

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and have won the support of the majority in
their constituencies.

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We are what you call a
representative democracy.

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This means that the members of the Bundestag
are elected every four years,

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and they then, as it were,
embody the institution

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which decides on the laws,

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and of course thereby also
reflect the will of

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the people in their
constituency, or in

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their federal states.

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I believe that this form of democracy
has proven to be very effective.

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However, this doesn’t mean

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that we don’t have to get regular
feedback from the public

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as members of the Bundestag, or me too.

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We are always answerable to
our own constituency, the votes

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and the opinions of the
people who live there.

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We travel extensively throughout the
country and exchange ideas.

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I engage in dialogue with the public.

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We ask the people,
and listen to

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what they expect of us and
where they are not satisfied.

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These are all feedback mechanisms
which are permanently in place.

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But the real
decision of the public

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on who they would like to be responsible
for policy in the coming years?

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This takes place through
the Bundestag election,

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which will be held again
next September.

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isabell.k.95 asks:

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I wonder why the government
doesn’t do more for climate protection?

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There are so many ways

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to achieve and implement
the protection goals.

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But in Germany,
forests are still being cleared,

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and for example, mass
animal farming is still allowed,

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or animal
products subsidised.

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Why don’t politicians work
together with climate researchers?

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And what are your plans to save the
future of the earth and of humankind?

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I believe that the
Federal Government has adopted

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a number of measures for
climate protection.

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We’ve set ourselves
very ambitious goals.

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We want to reduce

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CO2 emissions by 55%
by 2030, and 

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be climate neutral
by 2050.

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This goal is shared by
the whole of the European Union.

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And for this, we must of course
undertake considerable efforts.

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One example is the further 
expansion of renewable energies.

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Here, we can say today

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that renewable
energies are the largest pillar

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of our
electricity supply.

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To keep 
electricity affordable,

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we have capped
the EEG surcharge

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for the coming years,
so that prices don’t increase.

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We have introduced
numerous initiatives

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to make progress in the area of
building renovations.

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We’re funding
e mobility

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with the aim of becoming better
in the area of transport where

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we’ve had insufficient emission
reductions in recent years.

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And we’ve developed
a hydrogen strategy,

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because hydrogen
will be needed,

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specifically green hydrogen,
in the future

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to make
all industrial

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processes
CO2 free.

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We’re investing a very,
very large amount of money

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in these various parts
of our climate policy.

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And we are in
intensive exchanges

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with climate researchers
on the question

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as to how best
achieve our goals.

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And it has become
clear that, wherever possible,

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this should be done through
the price of CO2.

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The price of CO2
will thus increase on 1 January 2021

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and then successively
rise further.

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Not only in the area
of industry:

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they’ve had the certificate system
for a very long time already,

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but now also in the areas
of transport and heating.

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This also affects
building insulation and the like.

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And if the price of the
CO2 emitted increases,

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then innovative technologies
will be developed

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which will then lead to
lower CO2 emissions.

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And this is precisely
the best mechanism,

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both technically
and economically,

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to achieve the goals
we’ve set ourselves.

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We will also
set more ambitious goals

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at European level
once again.

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And then at the Climate Change Conference
at the end of the year in Glasgow

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- it will take place as a
video conference -

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hopefully the European Union
will be able to

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announce our new improved
goals for 2030.

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Because what
Europe has

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decided so far,
is not enough.

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But the European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen

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has put forward a proposal here,

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and we would like to use
Germany's Presidency of the Council of the EU

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to get the whole of Europe
to commit to this goal.

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Moshe Wassermann asks:

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Why is the CO2 carbon tax
being increased

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from 1 January 2021
despite the difficult economic situation?

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Many people have lower
incomes due to the pandemic,

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but don’t
want to freeze.

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The policy-makers should
defer the tax

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until the pandemic is over.

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00:12:44,946 --> 00:12:49,559
Yes, we must of course
consider the special situation

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00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:50,975
people face.
And I know that

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00:12:50,975 --> 00:12:55,585
through short-time work and worries
about job security due to COVID 19,

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00:12:55,897 --> 00:12:59,378
many people are concerned
about the future.

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00:12:59,384 --> 00:13:02,799
But nevertheless we cannot
just

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00:13:03,063 --> 00:13:05,975
simply postpose important
long-term tasks.

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00:13:05,975 --> 00:13:08,546
Because we’ve
seen during the pandemic that

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00:13:08,546 --> 00:13:12,000
we have to act decisively
to counter the changes.

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00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:16,019
And climate change is real,
so we can’t afford any delay

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00:13:16,019 --> 00:13:19,674
in dealing with reducing
CO2 emissions.

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00:13:19,674 --> 00:13:21,713
We must therefore
continue along this path.

259
00:13:21,713 --> 00:13:25,769
But we’ve now frozen the surcharge,

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00:13:26,079 --> 00:13:31,841
the renewable energy surcharge,
during the current pandemic.

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00:13:31,841 --> 00:13:32,789
This is a very
important point.

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00:13:32,789 --> 00:13:36,134
Otherwise it would have risen,
and thus also the price of electricity.

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00:13:36,134 --> 00:13:39,862
But with the CO2 price, we
want to send a message

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00:13:39,862 --> 00:13:42,459
- when people purchase
something new

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00:13:42,459 --> 00:13:45,339
or when they
consider their behaviour -

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00:13:45,339 --> 00:13:47,955
and encourage them

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00:13:47,955 --> 00:13:51,099
to reduce the emission
of CO2 as much as possible.

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00:13:51,408 --> 00:13:54,271
And if you think about it,
there are often alternatives

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00:13:54,271 --> 00:13:57,729
to achieve the same goal
in a different way.

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00:13:57,729 --> 00:14:00,328
And this should be
encouraged by

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00:14:00,641 --> 00:14:03,211
our measures on
the pricing of CO2.

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00:14:03,211 --> 00:14:06,385
Despite the challenges
of COVID 19,

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00:14:06,650 --> 00:14:08,956
we can’t stop
this process now.

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00:14:09,495 --> 00:14:11,835
Selina Ermoneit asks:

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00:14:11,835 --> 00:14:15,636
On the subject of the Internet: at CeBIT
2016 they spoke about

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00:14:15,636 --> 00:14:18,710
expanding the network in Germany
as quickly as possible

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00:14:18,710 --> 00:14:21,395
so that our industry
remains competitive.

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00:14:21,395 --> 00:14:24,295
What is planned for the near
future here?

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00:14:24,295 --> 00:14:26,847
What we want, of course, is to
provide broadband speeds

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00:14:26,847 --> 00:14:31,078
of over 50 megabytes per second
for every household.

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00:14:31,135 --> 00:14:35,435
By the end of 2015, we had connected 70%
of households.

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00:14:35,435 --> 00:14:40,039
By the end of 2019, this had
increased to 91.9%.

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00:14:40,351 --> 00:14:44,677
Our goal is to have
every single household

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00:14:44,994 --> 00:14:47,870
in Germany connected
and to provide universal

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00:14:47,870 --> 00:14:51,591
broadband coverage
by 2025.

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00:14:51,591 --> 00:14:54,471
A second point we are
working on, of course,

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00:14:54,782 --> 00:14:57,662
is the question of
the availability of mobile communications.

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00:14:57,662 --> 00:14:59,656
Network operators
are committed to

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00:14:59,656 --> 00:15:02,260
providing 99% of households
with mobile communications

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00:15:02,260 --> 00:15:06,289
and to improving
this service

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00:15:06,289 --> 00:15:08,280
by the end of
the year.

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00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,474
We will then
intervene once again,

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00:15:11,735 --> 00:15:14,619
also on the part of the Federal Government,
in the remaining areas

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00:15:14,619 --> 00:15:17,459
where coverage
is not yet secured

295
00:15:17,725 --> 00:15:19,764
in order to make
real progress here.

296
00:15:20,029 --> 00:15:21,177
You’re quite right.

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00:15:21,494 --> 00:15:25,789
Both broadband and
mobile communications are prerequisites

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00:15:25,789 --> 00:15:28,978
for living
in the digital age.

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00:15:28,978 --> 00:15:33,928
And that’s why this is a real
overriding priority of our work.

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00:15:34,295 --> 00:15:36,336
Caroline Ruthardt asks:

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00:15:36,795 --> 00:15:40,805
Mrs Merkel, first of all
thank you very much for all your hard work to date

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00:15:41,072 --> 00:15:42,535
and, above all, for how
you’re currently

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00:15:42,802 --> 00:15:45,100
getting us through these strange
times. Thank you.

304
00:15:45,100 --> 00:15:48,088
My question is:
What political action do you still intend to take

305
00:15:48,088 --> 00:15:50,011
to promote
women’s equality?

306
00:15:50,322 --> 00:15:53,205
Quotas for women are not taken seriously by many
companies.

307
00:15:53,466 --> 00:15:57,119
The gender pay gap is
still a reality nearly everywhere,

308
00:15:57,119 --> 00:15:58,848
right through to the gender pension gap.

309
00:15:58,848 --> 00:16:02,039
There are
many positive results abroad showing

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00:16:02,039 --> 00:16:05,492
that clear and strict laws
can be very successful.

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00:16:05,492 --> 00:16:08,474
Why, unfortunately, is Germany
still lagging behind in this respect?

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00:16:09,173 --> 00:16:11,430
When we talk about equality
between men and women

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00:16:11,430 --> 00:16:13,784
we are, in principle, talking about
two major issues.

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00:16:13,878 --> 00:16:15,921
The first issue is 
the representation of women.

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00:16:15,921 --> 00:16:18,226
And in this respect we are,
in fact, lagging behind.

316
00:16:18,226 --> 00:16:19,639
But I believe we’re catching up.

317
00:16:19,953 --> 00:16:22,863
The Federal Government has itself
taken steps to ensure that

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00:16:22,863 --> 00:16:25,435
all the committees
we appoint

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00:16:25,435 --> 00:16:28,053
over the next few years
for public sector work

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00:16:28,053 --> 00:16:31,505
are made up of 50%
women and 50% men.

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00:16:31,770 --> 00:16:33,808
Equality must be our objective, of course.

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00:16:34,075 --> 00:16:36,362
We already have
quotas of 30% on the supervisory boards

323
00:16:36,673 --> 00:16:39,821
of large
companies.

324
00:16:39,821 --> 00:16:41,285
That works well.

325
00:16:41,285 --> 00:16:42,701
Women have always
been found for these positions.

326
00:16:43,009 --> 00:16:46,156
And now it’s the turn of
small and medium-sized companies.

327
00:16:46,156 --> 00:16:48,773
We’re currently considering
whether we should do something else,

328
00:16:49,034 --> 00:16:51,914
whether we can do something else
in this legislative period,

329
00:16:52,230 --> 00:16:56,836
including in the areas of health insurance companies,
pension schemes, etc.

330
00:16:56,836 --> 00:16:58,565
Discussions on this are ongoing.

331
00:16:58,565 --> 00:17:02,021
The second issue alongside
representation is the question

332
00:17:02,285 --> 00:17:03,111
of acquisition of

333
00:17:03,111 --> 00:17:05,411
rights to pensions.
This has

334
00:17:05,411 --> 00:17:08,293
a great deal to do with
employment opportunities.

335
00:17:08,293 --> 00:17:12,326
We need to be able to
improve the balance between work and family,

336
00:17:12,326 --> 00:17:15,783
so that mothers and fathers,
or fathers and mothers,

337
00:17:16,093 --> 00:17:19,236
are able to
better combine work and family.

338
00:17:19,236 --> 00:17:21,541
With this in mind, we have
expanded the number of nursery places available.

339
00:17:21,541 --> 00:17:23,846
In this
legislative period we will, I hope,

340
00:17:23,846 --> 00:17:25,296
adopt the legal right to

341
00:17:25,296 --> 00:17:28,753
childcare for children of
primary school age.

342
00:17:28,753 --> 00:17:33,358
And in many ways
we have reinforced the flexibility

343
00:17:33,358 --> 00:17:37,703
of parental leave, partly
by increasing parental allowance,

344
00:17:37,703 --> 00:17:40,878
so that together fathers
and mothers

345
00:17:40,878 --> 00:17:44,597
are better able
to manage bringing up children.

346
00:17:44,597 --> 00:17:50,938
The third issue is the question
of women in certain professions.

347
00:17:50,938 --> 00:17:53,818
We’ve done a great deal
in the care sector

348
00:17:53,818 --> 00:17:55,853
to improve earning potential
there.

349
00:17:56,121 --> 00:17:57,845
And there are
still a lot of professions

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00:17:57,845 --> 00:18:00,375
that are dominated
by women.

351
00:18:00,685 --> 00:18:02,679
I am
thinking of, for example, childcare workers.

352
00:18:02,679 --> 00:18:07,287
And there is still much to do here, too,
over the next few years,

353
00:18:07,287 --> 00:18:11,613
especially to improve the earning prospects
of these professions.

354
00:18:12,255 --> 00:18:13,932
namookin asks:

355
00:18:14,195 --> 00:18:17,255
What is everyday life like as
Federal Chancellor?

356
00:18:17,950 --> 00:18:20,949
My everyday life as a Federal Chancellor
is shaped,

357
00:18:21,264 --> 00:18:23,866
of course, by the
scheduled meetings that I have,

358
00:18:24,129 --> 00:18:26,434
but also by the fact that I
always have to be prepared

359
00:18:26,434 --> 00:18:29,623
for something completely
unforeseen to happen.

360
00:18:29,623 --> 00:18:33,687
And this is why no one
day is like another.

361
00:18:33,733 --> 00:18:36,232
The weeks vary
a little depending on

362
00:18:36,232 --> 00:18:37,962
whether it’s a week in parliament.

363
00:18:38,274 --> 00:18:41,665
If it’s a week in which the
German Bundestag is in session,

364
00:18:41,665 --> 00:18:44,192
then I attend 
parliamentary party meetings.

365
00:18:44,192 --> 00:18:45,882
I’m often in parliament

366
00:18:45,882 --> 00:18:48,451
and I also have many
talks with members of parliament.

367
00:18:48,451 --> 00:18:51,641
In weeks when
the Bundestag is not in session,

368
00:18:51,641 --> 00:18:56,251
I often go on trips to
different parts of the country

369
00:18:56,251 --> 00:18:59,705
for official openings of businesses or for talks
with the public.

370
00:18:59,966 --> 00:19:03,163
Foreign policy also takes up a
large part of my time, of course.

371
00:19:03,163 --> 00:19:06,026
Either welcoming visitors
here in Berlin

372
00:19:06,026 --> 00:19:07,490
or travelling abroad.

373
00:19:07,490 --> 00:19:10,907
Of course, none of that is
happening right now.

374
00:19:10,907 --> 00:19:14,361
Most things are
decided via video conference.

375
00:19:14,628 --> 00:19:17,543
We currently have a special
responsibility

376
00:19:17,543 --> 00:19:19,565
because we hold the
Presidency of the Council of the EU

377
00:19:19,565 --> 00:19:20,985
until the end of December.

378
00:19:20,985 --> 00:19:23,602
There are still many
meetings to be held before then.

379
00:19:23,602 --> 00:19:26,166
And then, of course, I also try
to have

380
00:19:26,481 --> 00:19:29,935
some time off
- at least on one day at the weekend -

381
00:19:30,202 --> 00:19:31,666
to get some
fresh air

382
00:19:31,666 --> 00:19:34,810
or perhaps read a book or
watch a film.

383
00:19:34,810 --> 00:19:39,726
These are the things 
I enjoy.

384
00:19:39,726 --> 00:19:42,276
But I also like my
work very much

385
00:19:42,276 --> 00:19:43,706
because it’s just
so varied and

386
00:19:43,706 --> 00:19:45,512
no one day is
like another.