BERLIN: The centre-left challenger to German Chancellor Angela Merkel in next year’s elections, former finance minister Peer Steinbrueck, yesterday fended off criticism of his lucrative earnings from speeches, books and company boards.
The nomination of the 65-year-old Social Democrat (SPD) has prompted a slew of criticism of his high earnings outside the Bundestag (lower house) from Merkel’s centre-right coalition but also from the SPD’s left wing and from anti-graft campaigners.
“This is really about attempts by some of my critics to damage my personal credibility. But it won’t work,” Steinbrueck, whose nomination was confirmed on Monday, told Die Welt daily.
Conservative lawmakers say his case underlines the need for new rules on politicians reporting their earnings, a call echoed by anti-graft group Transparency International. “We need a debate about transparency in (MPs’) supplementary earnings,” its German campaigner Christian Humborg said.
Bavaria’s conservative state finance minister Markus Soeder said Steinbrueck’s work in the financial sector undermined his promise of tougher rules for German banks.
The fuss could undermine Steinbrueck’s bid to woo the left wing of the SPD, which mistrusts his centrist views on economics, such as advocacy of an increase in the retirement age. SPD left-winger Klaus Barthel urged him to “set an example” and publish his earnings.
Germans demand high standards of transparency from their elected officials, as witnessed by head of state Christian Wulff who had to resign this year over his murky personal finances.
“All groups in parliament agree we need more transparency on supplementary income,” said Michael Grosse-Broemer, a leader of Merkel’s conservatives in the Bundestag.
“It’s not just a question of the law but of form,” said his colleague Rainer Bruederle, parliamentary leader of the Free Democrats (FDP), Merkel’s centre-right coalition partners.
The conservative business daily Handelsblatt described Steinbrueck’s earnings as a “record” for an MP.
As soon as he was nominated, Steinbrueck announced he would quit the board of steel giant ThyssenKrupp and all outside work, though not an unpaid seat on soccer club Borussia Dortmund’s board where he saw no conflict of interest.
AFP
