Former SPD member becomes a gas lobbyist-the change causes trouble!

Former SPD member becomes a gas lobbyist-the change causes trouble!

Berlin, Deutschland - The change of politicians to lobbying repeatedly causes discussions about conflicts of interest and the influence of lobby groups on political will formation. A current example is the former SPD member of the Bundestag Bengt Bergt, who has been working as a lobbyist for the association "The Gas and Hydrogen Economy" since June 1, 2025. The association itself represents around 130 companies in the gas industry and is based in Berlin. According to information from Tagesschau are the annual lobby editions of the association in the middle six-digit range.

Hergt, who acted in parliament as a deputy energy policy spokesman, was in particular entrusted with the natural gas infrastructure and its promotion. Despite his active role in the Bundestag, he missed the re -entry in the election in February 2025. During his time in the Bundestag, he was also a member of the Committee on Climate Protection and Energy and on the advisory board of the Federal Network Agency. The criticism of his switch to the gas lobby is not unjustified; The association LobbyControl Extreme that this potential conflict of interest has.

Lobbyism of the gas industry

The influence of the gas industry on politics is remarkable. In a study, it shows that numerous politicians and side changers maintain close connections to large gas companies. These lobby pipelines have led the federal government to increasingly adopt the narrative of the gas industry. Instead of striving for increased promotion of renewable energies, the focus is currently on the expansion of the LNG infrastructure. This development harbors the risk of billions of billions of misinvests and a persistent dependence on the fossil natural gas, according to the concerns of environmental associations.

Between December 2021 and September 2022, representatives of large gas companies met on average once a day with top politicians from the federal government, while environmental associations had hardly any comparable contacts. In the meantime, few large companies such as Uniper and RWE are at the top of the gas supply chain and have a significant impact on basic care. BASF, a great user of gas, has also emerged as a supporter of the gas lobby and urges political decisions that are useful for the interests of industry.

political decisions and conflicts of interest

The situation illustrates how the gas industry is integrated into the political decision -making process. The Federal Government admits the gas industry in consulting committees a dominant role, for example on the National Hydrogen Council. This is done against the demands of environmental associations that require a balanced representation and transparency at lobby meetings. It remains to be seen whether the change of mountain and similar cases will lead to a rethink in politics in the coming time.

The problem is rounded off by the lack of maternity leave for MPs who changes to lobbyism. While ex-minister and state secretaries have to report their activities outside the public service in the first 18 months, this does not apply to MPs. This regulation favors a flowing takeover of positions in industry and raises questions about the integrity of the political system.

Overall, the case of Bengt illustrates not only the connections between politics and gas lobby, but also the challenges that the federal government faces with regard to a climate -friendly energy future. As energy winds , past climate protection plans have already suffered from the pressure of lobby interests, which significantly more difficult.