A cross-party group of MPs has failed in its attempt to pass a COVID vaccine mandate for the over-60s in the German parliament. 

Vaccine mandate for over-60s fails in German parliament

After months of revision and debate, the proposal to make vaccinations against coronavirus compulsory for certain sections of the population in Germany has been roundly rejected, in what will be considered a defeat for Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who had touted a vaccine mandate as the country’s surest way out of the pandemic. 

A cross-party “compromise” motion that would have made COVID jabs compulsory for all over-60s was defeated by 378 to 296 votes, including nine abstentions. If passed, the motion would have also required all unvaccinated adults over 60 to attend an appointment with their doctor to discuss the possibility of getting a jab. 

Other vaccine mandates defeated, with more votes yet to come

Other bills defeated at the session on Thursday included a Union motion that would have mandated the introduction of a general vaccine register and opened up the possibility of vaccinations being made compulsory for vulnerable people and those working in certain jobs. 

Two bills ruling out any vaccine mandate are still to be voted on, one presented by a group of politicians around Wolfgang Kubicki of the FDP party, and the other put forward by the AfD.