Germany will 'defend itself' against violent anti-vaxxers, says Scholz
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that Germany would "defend itself" against a violent minority of anti-vaccine militants who have threatened public officials.
"We will not allow a tiny minority of uninhibited extremists to try to impose its will on the whole of society," Scholz said in his first speech as Chancellor to parliament.
"Germany will use all the means of its democratic rule of law to defend itself against this tiny minority of the hateful attacking the rest of us," he said after police raids in Dresden following death threats against a pro-vaccine politician.
There is a lot of talk about the division of society, Scholz said, but he stressed: "Our society is not divided." The new Chancellor praised the majority of people in Germany for showing "solidarity, reason and caution" throughout the health crisis.
In his address, Scholz said Germany would get through the Covid pandemic and see normality return.
"Things will get better again. We will win the battle, we will overcome the crisis," he said, adding that the government would do everything it could so that people could get back as much normality and freedoms as before the pandemic began.
READ ALSO: Germany’s new government condemns ‘aggressive’ anti-vax movement
Scholz urged people to go and get vaccinated.
"My urgent request to all citizens of this country - help us to cope with this task, get vaccinated, protect your life and protect the lives of others," he said.
Scholz said the goal was still to get 30 million Covid jabs into people's arms by the end of this year.
Since November 18th, 19 million doses have already been administered, said Scholz, adding that vaccination was the only way out of the pandemic.
However, Scholz did not address reports from his Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, that there will be Covid vaccine shortages in Germany from January.
'Break new ground'
Scholz also spoke about the challenges of the coming years. He said the so-called traffic light parties - named after the coalition colours of the Social Democrats (red), Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) - "will break new ground" when it comes to topics like climate change and the modernisation of Germany.
The SPD politician also thanked his predecessor from the centre-right CDU.
Angela Merkel served Germany "in an impressive manner as Chancellor for 16 years, always oriented to the cause and the facts, always completely unpretentious and without airs and graces, always with courage and wisdom, with pragmatism and prudence", said Scholz.
Scholz was elected as the ninth chancellor of Germany a week ago. The coalition agreement between the SPD, Greens and the FDP was signed at the beginning of December.
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"We will not allow a tiny minority of uninhibited extremists to try to impose its will on the whole of society," Scholz said in his first speech as Chancellor to parliament.
"Germany will use all the means of its democratic rule of law to defend itself against this tiny minority of the hateful attacking the rest of us," he said after police raids in Dresden following death threats against a pro-vaccine politician.
There is a lot of talk about the division of society, Scholz said, but he stressed: "Our society is not divided." The new Chancellor praised the majority of people in Germany for showing "solidarity, reason and caution" throughout the health crisis.
In his address, Scholz said Germany would get through the Covid pandemic and see normality return.
"Things will get better again. We will win the battle, we will overcome the crisis," he said, adding that the government would do everything it could so that people could get back as much normality and freedoms as before the pandemic began.
READ ALSO: Germany’s new government condemns ‘aggressive’ anti-vax movement
Scholz urged people to go and get vaccinated.
Scholz said the goal was still to get 30 million Covid jabs into people's arms by the end of this year.
Since November 18th, 19 million doses have already been administered, said Scholz, adding that vaccination was the only way out of the pandemic.
However, Scholz did not address reports from his Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, that there will be Covid vaccine shortages in Germany from January.
'Break new ground'
Scholz also spoke about the challenges of the coming years. He said the so-called traffic light parties - named after the coalition colours of the Social Democrats (red), Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) - "will break new ground" when it comes to topics like climate change and the modernisation of Germany.
The SPD politician also thanked his predecessor from the centre-right CDU.
Angela Merkel served Germany "in an impressive manner as Chancellor for 16 years, always oriented to the cause and the facts, always completely unpretentious and without airs and graces, always with courage and wisdom, with pragmatism and prudence", said Scholz.
Scholz was elected as the ninth chancellor of Germany a week ago. The coalition agreement between the SPD, Greens and the FDP was signed at the beginning of December.
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