German Chancellor Angela Merkel has protected her plans for a provocative curfew in parliament.

The corona measures in Germany are still being made in consultation between the government and the sixteen states. When the bill is passed, Berlin can force the states with many infections to introduce strict corona measures.

In this way, the government wants to relieve the pressure on hospitals.

In the debate on the law, Merkel stated that the corona measures in some countries, including Portugal and the United Kingdom, were stricter than those she plans to introduce in Germany.

According to the chancellor, a majority of Germans are in favour of stricter measures.

The right-wing populist AfD, Germany’s largest opposition party, is vehemently against the new powers for Berlin. Group chairman Alice Weidel sees the proposal as “an alarming signal from an authoritarian state”.