OREANDA-NEWS. German Chancellor Angela Merkel convened a crisis meeting of representatives of the German authorities on January 6. Merkel reacted to criticism of her party member, Minister of Health Jens Spahn for the slow pace of vaccination.

It is known that during the meeting it is planned to discuss ways to increase vaccine production; for this, the Chancellor’s office wants to create a special working group. It will include Spahn, Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier, Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, and head of the Chancellery Helge Braun.

Merkel and her government are criticized for the low rates of vaccination not only by politicians, but also by the media. Now in Germany less than 0.5 % of the population is vaccinated.

Experts assess this as a split in the government and the beginning of the pre-election race in Germany ahead of the parliamentary election scheduled for autumn.