Markus Söder earns very well as Bavarian Prime Minister. But a constitutional lawyer questions whether he is entitled to this salary at all.
The constitutional lawyer Hans Herbert von Arnim has been dealing with the salaries of German politicians for many years. His book "Die Selbstbeter. How Bavarian politicians make the state a prey" was recently published. And his thesis is: "Bavaria is the German master in hiding prohibited self-approved donations." Is there something there?
Salary is not in the constitution
According to Arnim, Bavaria is at the top when it comes to how politicians use money. "This is also because the CSU has ruled the country for over half a century and has repeatedly managed to get the opposition factions willing to participate in tapping state resources," he explains. The constitution actually only says that the members of the state parliament have the right to travel freely to all state transport facilities in Bavaria and to have an allowance . Arnim says there is no question of an income or a non-contributory pension.
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Increases are hidden in the household without voting
Because government party funding is capped , MPs, employees, and factions try to get money to their parties in other ways . "The financing of Bavarian state parliamentary groups abounds with manipulations that all serve to give the appearance of completely exaggerated cash benefits," writes Arnim. In Bavaria, unlike in other federal states, the increase in funds could be hidden in a budget title without a vote . In 2013, Bavaria's factions approved a total of 15.7 million euros - more than any other state parliament in Germany, even more than in the larger North Rhine-Westphalia region with 13.3 million euros.
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Politicians receive a generous pension
Although the grossest exaggerations have already been removed, the pension scheme for Bavarian politicians is still very generous , says the constitutional lawyer. For example, 46-year-old Markus Söder would already receive 4,525 euros from his mandate and another 4,152 euros from his term as minister. Arnim calculates that because Bavaria only offsets claims to a third, Arnim calculates a monthly pension - and Söder is still in office for a while.
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Nepotism in Bavarian politics
Politicians are now prohibited from employing their spouse or first-degree relatives, but other relatives are allowed to do so. If necessary, the politicians help each other and hire the other's relatives . Incidentally, this is prohibited in the Bundestag.
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A whopping 21,102 euros a month for Markus Söder
Markus Söder receives the basic salary B11 as minister, that's 11,557 euros a month, writes the Munich tabloid AZ. In addition, there are three sixteenths of this basic salary, making 13,724 euros. With a family allowance for three children, he comes to 14,351 euros. But that's not all! On top of that comes half the parliamentary allowance, plus tax-free allowance, plus 75 percent of the tax-free flat rate. Bavaria's prime minister draws a whopping 21,102 euros a month .
An incident recently occurred in which Markus Söder was spat on. State security is now investigating.
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The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder demands that the GroKo take greater care of foreign policy. The coalition continues to suffer from the fact that it is not wanted.
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