The committee of inquiry, in which Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) was a witness, is about the Nuremberg Museum of the Future. © Dpa
Prime Minister Söder (CSU) has testified as a witness in the committee of inquiry regarding the Nuremberg Museum of the Future. There he denied the allegations against him.
Munich – Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) has rejected allegations that he had influenced the location decision in the responsible committee of inquiry of the state parliament on the Museum of the Future in Nuremberg. The CSU chairman described the speculation that party donations could have played a role in the proceedings as "completely absurd".
Fuss around the Nuremberg Museum of the Future: Greens suspect nepotism
Almost exactly a year ago, the branch of the Deutsches Museum, the Museum of the Future in Nuremberg, caused a stir because of its high costs. It was opened in autumn 2021 by Markus Söder. Since the end of last year, the committee of inquiry initiated by the SPD, FDP and Greens has been investigating the background to the lease of the Museum of the Future.
The opposition suspects that taxpayers' money has been wasted there and CSU nepotism has been practiced – because the rent payments for the property in Nuremberg's Augustinerhof are too high. The landlord is the well-known entrepreneur Gerd Schmelzer, a CSU party donor and husband of the Nuremberg CSU local politician Julia Lehner.
Söder as a witness in the committee of inquiry Nuremberg Museum of the Future: "No influence"
Söder, as the then Minister of Home Affairs and Finance, originally had the idea for a branch of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, he said in his testimony. However, the entire procedure was "strictly in accordance with the rules and jurisdiction". "The Deutsches Museum always had the sole hat on," said Söder.
There had been "no instruction" and "no directive" from him, the Prime Minister explained. "I didn't exert any influence," he emphasized again and again. "The idea came from me – the implementation was then done by others."
In addition, Söder emphasized that the plans for the museum had been discussed "umpteen times" in the state parliament and decided by the cabinet and state parliament. "The state parliament could have intervened at any time." But the opposition was also "fully enthusiastic" about the project.
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Söder rejects influence in decision – Osgyan finds missing memory conspicuous
Söder said that in a state election year, there are many "campaigns" and "conspiracy theories" – that's why he was happy about the work of the committee: "All allegations and suspicions are refuted." He himself only learned about Schmelzer's donations later from the media.
Verena Osgyan (Greens), on the other hand, said that Söder had always been informed and involved in decisions. It is particularly striking that Söder has no memories of more than a dozen appointments, according to his own statement.
Just recently, Horst Seehofer defended the Nuremberg Museum of the Future as a witness in the investigative committee. The former prime minister described the controversial rent as "plausible". (with material from dpa)
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