Felt at FDP? Now Wissing is also suspected - Lindner appeases

After the "best man affair" in Habeck's ministry, there are also allegations against Volker Wissing.

He is said to have hired FDP confidants without an advertisement.

Berlin – There is no peace in the traffic light coalition.

After the allegations of nepotism against Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and his State Secretary Patrick Graichen, another cabinet member is now the focus of attention: Transport Minister Volker Wissing.

Even in the ministry of the former FDP general secretary, not everything is said to have gone right.

The accusation: Wissing is said to have filled several positions in his ministry with old confidants from the ranks of the FDP – without properly advertising the positions beforehand.

After taking over the post in December 2021, the Minister of Transport made major changes to the ministry – that much is certain.

As it became known on Tuesday, however, he is said to have awarded a total of 18 positions without advertisements.

This emerges from the answer to a small request from the Union faction in the Bundestag, which

is available to

Ampel-Filz: Allegations against Wissing – FDP loyalists employed without a tender?

According to the information in the newspaper, the personal details in question include the head of the department for digital and data policy, Benjamin Brake.

The 41-year-old worked in the Bundestag offices of the FDP in the past and was a personal advisor to the former FDP Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger.

Another name mentioned is Hartfrid Wolff.

The 52-year-old sat between 2005 and 2013 for the Free Democrats in the Bundestag.

Wolff is currently still a member of the state board of the FDP in Baden-Württemberg.

He has headed the communications department in Wissing's ministry since last year.

The Federal Civil Servants Act stipulates that vacancies must be advertised publicly.

This is to ensure that jobs are assigned based on skill and not through contacts.

However, the Federal Government can regulate exceptions to the rule by ordinance.

In addition to Brake and Wolff, Wissing is said to have hired three other department heads without a job advertisement.

The post typically falls within the B9 grade.

This corresponds to a basic salary of 12,425.82 euros.

Traffic light coalition: The Scholz cabinet at a glance

Traffic light coalition: The Scholz cabinet at a glance

FDP leader Lindner appeases "best man affair" – "Some allegations are disproportionate"

In this context, an appearance by FDP leader and finance minister Christian Lindner on Tuesday will also be in the limelight.

In the ARD talk show "Maischberger", the 44-year-old had calmed down with regard to his cabinet colleague Habeck.

"Certainly it is advisable to create transparency there now," said Lindner on the allegations of nepotism.

“But to make it very clear: some of the allegations that have been made here are disproportionate,” said the FDP leader, looking at the Minister of Economics.

For him, the assumption that people behave properly always applies first.

Habeck's State Secretary Patrick Graichen had recently come under pressure due to personal ties when filling a top position.

He had informed the minister at the beginning of last week that the designated new managing director of the federal German Energy Agency (Dena), Michael Schäfer, was his best man.

Graichen was a member of a selection committee to fill the management board.

He regretted his actions on Friday and spoke of a mistake.

Habeck also called the procedure a mistake, but at the same time supported Graichen: "In my opinion, Patrick Graichen is the man who saved Germany from a serious energy crisis," said the Green politician.

Traffic light felt: Kubicki continues to hand out against Habeck – “shady family entanglements”

Above all, the Union then demanded the dismissal of Graichen.

But critical voices were also heard from the FDP.

Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP) had accused Habeck on Wednesday in Berlin of wanting to prevent the expansion of the A23 motorway in Schleswig-Holstein and accused him of a "lousy power-political game".

With a view to Graichen, Kubicki added: "I can understand that Robert Habeck is under pressure because of the dubious family entanglements in his house.

But if he thinks he is distracting himself from his personal suffering in such an unscrupulous way, he will find that this will have massive parliamentary consequences.”

Now the FDP could also have problems with nepotism in its own ranks.

Wissing and his ministry had not yet commented on the allegations on Wednesday morning.