Die Landesparlamente im Zeichen der Emergency Politics in der Corona-Krise

Although Germany’s performance in terms of the number of infections and fatalities as well as the economic and social consequences associated with COVID-19 can be considered as satisfactory in an EU27 comparison, it raises the question of input legitimacy through democratic procedures. It draws on the basis of Jonathan White’s concept of emergency politics, using the example of Germany with its emergency regime of the Bund-Länder-Konferenz and its impact on the 16 state parliaments. It is then argued that the decision-making during the pandemic waves in 2020 and 2021 formed a framework within the federal state that largely removed the basis for parliamentary functions. Essential for the analysis is the outline of the change in the multi-level governance that the pandemic brought about through the conference of the Chancellor and the 16 state prime ministers. The impact of this governmental crisis management politics are discussed for the most important state parliamentary functions, the oversight through co-governance, oversight by the opposition, legislation, and the public debate. The empirical basis is provided by media reports, non-public drafts, resolutions of the Bund-Länder-Konferenz and opinion polls. The article concludes with a recommendation to better prepare future emergency politics institutionally and to give state parliamentarism a place in this process.