Scholz to face grilling in parliament about vaccine mandate

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces his first grilling by members of parliament on Wednesday, against the background of a heated debate surrounding how - and when - his coalition government intends to introduce a national coronavirus vaccine mandate, reported dpa.

The debate has heated up in recent days, with the opposition conservatives accusing the government of delaying and refusing to plot out a clear course on a highly controversial issue.

The parliamentary leader of Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), Rolf Mützenich, laid down a first tentative timetable late on Tuesday, saying that the SPD would present a draft proposal on compulsory vaccination by the end of the month.

Scholz had originally envisaged a decision in the Bundestag by the beginning of February or March - although this is looking increasingly unlikely.

His three-way coalition includes the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), whose lawmakers and supporters are among the most skeptical of a vaccine mandate.

The mandate is a key target of protesters in regular demonstrations against the government's coronavirus measures, which can draw thousands of people across the country.

Scholz plans to introduce the law with a free vote in parliament, rather than a Cabinet decision followed by party-lines vote. The opposition have criticized this approach as showing a lack of leadership.

Scholz's first parliamentary interrogation, expected to last 65 minutes, will also cover domestic, international and climate policy, among other issues.