Union and SPD officials want to tighten the rules governing the employment of staff under the Parliamentary Law. The parliamentary managers of the two coalition parties, Hendrik Hoppenstedt (CDU) and Johannes Fechner (SPD), are working on a joint proposal, says the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Thursday edition).
“We need to curb the Parliamentary Law” Fechner told the paper. “We should broaden the existing provision”.
Moving forward, he says the rules should prevent Members of Parliament from employing spouses or relatives of other MPs on public funds. The amendment would apply not only to Bundestag members but also to European Parliament and state parliament representatives, thereby stopping a Bundestag member from hiring relatives of state or European MPs using taxpayers’ money.
“We will still allow MPs to hire relatives at their own expense” Fechner added. “The goal is simply to prevent the abuse of public funds through nepotism”.
Hoppenstedt, who leads the Union faction, said that the rules are being adjusted to deter as much misconduct as possible. He indicated that both parties have already reached a preliminary understanding on the matter.
He also highlighted practical challenges. The principle of professional freedom is enshrined in the constitution, and not every instance of a distant relative working for a fellow MP rises to the level of nepotism. However, if MPs clearly benefit from reciprocal employment of family members that raises each other’s family incomes, Hoppenstedt described it as “an unequivocally unacceptable corruption swamp that must be eradicated”.
