Raid in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt: political allowances under suspicion!
Raid in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt: political allowances under suspicion!
In the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, it is boiling: The police searched the faction rooms of the CDU, SPD and AfD to investigate a explosive matter. The suspicion is in the room that inadmissible payments to MPs have been made with special functions. These investigations are based on a criminal complaint by the federal taxpayer, which became active in 2023 and confronted the public prosecutor with the borderline practices. After a first rejection by the Magdeburg public prosecutor's office, investigative steps were initiated after a complaint, as the taz reports.
The reason for the search is suspected of unauthorized payment of functional allowances within the political groups. While the investigators collect evidence of these payments on the one hand, the preliminary record of the CDU parliamentary group for the years 2021 and 2022 shows that this deals with considerable sums. According to a compilation, the figures for the CDU go from 66,000 euros in 2021 to 47,250 euros in 2022, while the AfD cannot completely take out the fire line with 25,600 euros and the SPD with 7,500 euros. The ZDF also took up information of this kind in a recent report, which points out that the use of civil servants in this context also resulted in inquiries from the CDU and AfD.
allegations and legal framework conditions
According to the figures of the Saxony-Anhalt State Audit Office, these payments are not compatible with the Deputy Act. There is a clear signal of the Greens and the left, which no longer pay corresponding surcharges. While the SPD has hired payments in the past after 7,500 euros, the CDU vehemently defends its practices and refers to an expert opinion from the legislative and advisory service (GBD), which is intended to confirm the admissibility of the payments.But a look at the report reveals a dilemma: It makes it clear that additional compensation is prohibited for special parliamentary functions. Ironically, this report was only requested and approved by the President Gunnar Schellenberger (CDU) in November 2023, which seems to give the CDU parliamentary group a legal basis, but which is very controversial.
In the middle of this exhausting situation, the Ministry of Justice is headed by Saxony-Anhalt by the Minister of Justice Franziska Weidinger (CDU), who only learned from developments during the search. Additional explosiveness comes into play because State Secretary Steffen Eckold, who was managing director of the CDU parliamentary group until 2022, declared himself biased and is thus shot out of the investigation.
political reactions and outlook
The parliamentary groups concerned have not yet commented on the allegations available. This leaves room for speculation and questions. What does this mean for political culture in Saxony-Anhalt? Is this an outbreak from a larger system of misconduct in politics? Observers and critics of the situation warn of the serious consequences of such practices. A look at federal politics lives up to, since other MPs in Causa are under pressure - so investigations are pending against several members of the Bundestag.
In this tense situation, it remains to be seen how the investigation progresses and what consequences for the factions and its members are to be expected. There is a lot at stake for those affected and the political integrity of Saxony-Anhalt.
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| Ort | Sachsen-Anhalt, Deutschland |
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