More transparency thanks to lobby law?

Bavaria's officials are boycotting - and suing

Created: 01/28/2022, 10:43 am

By: Christian Deutschländer

Markus Söder and Ilse Aigner (both CSU) talk in the Bavarian state parliament before a plenary session.

© Sven Hoppe/dpa

Bavarian officials are suing their own government team before the constitutional judges in Karlsruhe and Munich.

An unusual process - triggered by the new lobby register.

Munich – It sounded like very good news: The lobby register in Bavaria* starts operations, the Franconian winegrowers' association was the first to register, the state parliament reported in early January.

They wanted to create as much transparency as possible, avoiding any appearance of gloomy influence.

Dozens of other clubs and associations followed.

Now, however, it's slowly becoming clear: things don't go quite so smoothly and harmoniously with the register.

On the contrary: In an unprecedented action, the most important associations of civil servants in Bavaria boycotted the register.

What's more, they file popular complaints and constitutional complaints against the law of the CSU/FW coalition*.

Corresponding information from our newspaper was confirmed by the civil service association.

Lobby register in Bavaria: Member unions complain - "That alienated us"

After unsuccessful preliminary talks with state politicians, 30 of the 54 member unions are now moving to Karlsruhe and Munich: including the teachers' association BLLV, the philologists, the police and the judiciary unions. They demand, as in Baden-Württemberg and the federal government, to be exempted from the strict disclosure requirements right down to the balance sheets. Civil Servants Association boss Rainer Nachtigall is opposed to throwing the civil servants (also as collective bargaining partners) in a pot with lobbyists. The work cannot be compared with large business associations. "That surprised us."

The factions of the CSU and Free Voters did not want to give in here and expose themselves to the suspicion of turning a blind eye, some affair in the neck.

"I don't understand the problem with the obligation to register," says leading CSU MP Tobias Reiss when asked.

"We want a close exchange and dialogue - but also far-reaching transparency." Reiß also says that he was "surprised and irritated" by the complaints from the civil servants' associations.

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