Scandal in the Magdeburg state parliament: CDU allowances under suspicion!

Scandal in the Magdeburg state parliament: CDU allowances under suspicion!

There is a lot of simmering in the Magdeburg state parliament. The affair surrounding what many believe to be unlawful functional allowances is becoming ever more widespread. How MDR reports, the parliamentary group rooms of the CDU, SPD and AfD were searched by the public prosecutor today. The reason? Suspicion of infidelity hovers over the halls of the state parliament.

The events are explosive: Despite the clear regulations that were set as part of a parliamentary reform in 2020, the CDU continued to pay functional allowances to several members of parliament. The deputy parliamentary group leader Frank Bommersbach receives an additional 682.50 euros per month, while the heads of the CDU working groups each receive 531.64 euros in addition to their diet of 8,736.66 euros. The State Audit Office has classified these allowances as constitutionally questionable.

Money flows and suspicions

According to the Taxpayers' Association, a total of around 150,000 euros in functional allowances were paid between 2021 and 2022, with the CDU receiving the largest sum at 66,000 euros in 2021 and 47,250 euros in 2022. The AfD and the SPD also paid, albeit to a much smaller extent. The AfD documented 25,600 euros in 2021, while the SPD spent 7,500 euros. This shows how controversial the matter is, which has recently come into the focus of investigators RND reports.

The searches were carried out pursuant to a court order resulting from a criminal complaint filed by the Taxpayers' Association. Loud FAZ No offices of individual MPs were inspected, but the focus was on the parliamentary group rooms. The investigators are now required to evaluate the seized documents, but this will take some time.

Reactions and outlook

The CDU parliamentary group has now stopped making payments after the illegal allowances were publicly questioned. In addition, the SPD parliamentary group spokesman also stated that the use of public funds endangers the reputation of parliament. Despite the explosive allegations, the CDU remains silent, while the public prosecutor's office classifies the payments as illegal - an accusation that could further strain the political climate in Saxony-Anhalt.

It remains to be seen whether the current investigations will result in criminal consequences. However, one thing is certain: this matter will have a lasting impact on both public perception and the internal structures of the state parliament.