Public prosecutors examine corruption investigations: Left bring Lindner's resignation into play

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Federal Finance Minister Lindner (FDP)

Photo: Andreas Gebert / REUTERS

The Left Party in the Bundestag is speculating about a possible resignation of Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner after it became known that the Berlin public prosecutor's office is considering whether to initiate corruption investigations against the FDP politician.

The reason for the preliminary investigation is the report by SPIEGEL on Lindner's real estate financing and his commitment to BBBank in October last year.

»Lobby policy for banks and corporations«

"As early as October there were indications that Christian Lindner may not be able to clearly distinguish between his job as a minister and his private interests," said Left Party Vice President Lorenz Gösta Beutin to SPIEGEL.

“It's no secret that Lindner is closer to a lobbying policy for banks and corporations than the interests of the broad masses of the population.

This was also shown with the so-called Porsche Gate.

If the suspicion is confirmed and criminal proceedings are initiated, the resignation of the finance minister would be inevitable.«

In the summer of 2022 it became known that Oliver Blume, then head of Porsche and now also CEO of VW, had boasted about close contacts with Lindner.

Allegations that the Dax boss had influenced the traffic light coalition negotiations were rejected by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Porsche group at the time.

Now the Berlin public prosecutor's office is interested in the finance minister's relationship with BBBank after Lindner financed the purchase of a two-family house in Berlin with their help.

In the past, the FDP politician had given well-paid lectures for the bank, and as a minister he sent a video greeting for an event organized by the money house.

"I like BBBank from the ground up," said Lindner, according to the speech transcript in the video.

»Few things are more damaging to democracy than when government officials are suspected of corruption.

The federal finance minister in particular must be above suspicion," said Tobias Bank, the federal director of the Left Party.

»Christian Lindner must disclose everything immediately and refute all allegations.

If he can't do that, I honestly don't see how he can continue to be finance minister.

Otherwise the office and democracy would be damaged.«

Reluctant coalition partners

The coalition partners of the Liberals were more cautious.

"In terms of public prejudice, I find it unfortunate that preliminary investigations have already become public," said Sebastian Roloff, head of the left-wing SPD group DL21, the SPIEGEL.

»I assume that Mr. Lindner will clarify this in a timely manner, which has to happen now.«

The Greens say that the investigation must be awaited before premature conclusions can be drawn.

"I'm pretty sure how an opposition politician #Lindner would have reacted to a green finance minister with similar allegations," wrote the spokesman for the German group in the Die Grüne/EFA parliamentary group in the European Parliament, Rasmus Andresen, on Twitter.

FDP party leader Wolfgang Kubicki has called for the resignation of Berlin's Senator for Justice, Lena Kreck.

"Reports that the Berlin Attorney General's Office is examining the lifting of Christian Lindner's immunity in order to investigate the suspicion of possible taking advantage are an unparalleled lack of political character and a significant violation of personal rights, which must have personal consequences," Kubicki wrote in a statement.

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