The upper house of the German parliament would on Friday, vote on a new legislative package aimed at containing the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
This came up amid concerns at rising infections and hospitalisation rates.
The Bundesrat, in which the 16 states were represented, was expected to pass the new package.
This was after a compromise was reached during a video conference of state premiers with Chancellor Angela Merkel and other members of her Cabinet on Thursday.
The lower house, the Bundestag, passed the package put forward by the three parties currently hammering out a new coalition deal following elections in September, only after heated debate.
The new regulations would expand measures for the workplace, public transport and care homes, but rule out closing schools or businesses.
Merkel’s party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), along with their Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), criticised the package as not allowing the states, which were responsible for health policy, greater powers.
During the debate in the lower house, they called instead for emergency provisions, which expired on Thursday to be extended.
The package could only pass the upper house with the support of the CDU/CSU.
The CDU/CSU is set to go into opposition after 16 years at the head of the ruling coalition and is likely to be replaced by a three-way government of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the probusiness FDP.
German upper house to vote on new pandemic restrictions package
