Steinmeier: Coronavirus curbs do not harm democracy

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has welcomed a debate about the government's coronavirus restrictions but he rejected claims that the curbs were damaging democracy.

"[The debate] creates an obligation that forces politicians to justify each day just how long such measures will be kept in place," Steinmeier told the Sunday edition of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper.

While there were examples within Europe of the coronavirus crisis being exploited in order to strengthen authoritarian structures, Steinmeier said he did "not see this charge can be levied" in Germany.

Read more: Coronavirus: A stress test for democracy

The president's remarks appear to have been aimed at Hungary, which last month enacted sweeping emergency powersin response to the pandemic. Poland, meanwhile, has been criticized for pushing through legislation allowing its presidential election to proceed later this month by postal vote.

Steinmeier noted that Germany's response was no different to other democracies worldwide, which introduced massive restrictions on public life to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Steinmeier told FAZ that he had "a large amount of respect" for how politicians were now attempting to find a balance between protecting citizens and enabling the easing of the restrictions.

He said the fact that there are now fewer new infections is the result "of clever crisis management, coupled with the responsibility and discipline of the people."

Several politicians have demanded that the government justify its ongoing curbs, despite some measures being loosened from mid-April and a published roadmap for further easing.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned states of the dangers of relaxing measures too soon.

kmm/mm (dpa, AFP, Reuters)

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