German finance minister under pressure after corruption allegations

BERLIN

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has come under pressure after reports revealed that he may lose his parliamentary immunity due to corruption allegations.

Lindner had delivered a video speech at a public event of the BBBank, which provided nearly €3 million ($3.2 million) loan for his house purchase, local media reported on Monday.

Berlin Attorney General’s Office is currently examining the lifting of his immunity and the opening of criminal proceedings for accepting an advantage, according to daily Tagesspiegel.

Lindner’s lawyer dismissed the allegations, arguing that the minister started his private real estate financing long before he took over his ministerial post.

“Giving short speeches on anniversaries, such as the centenary of a bank, is part of the normal conduct of a minister,” Christian Schertz said in a statement.

But politicians and social media users heavily criticized Lindner and the government on social media.

“#Corruption everywhere you look. Whether in the #EUMoloch or the #federal government. It’s just disgusting,” Joana Cotar, an independent lawmaker, said on Twitter.

Opposition politician Marco Bulow slammed the liberal-left coalition government for too close links with corporations and banks.

“Close ties with banks seem to have become a trademark for this government,” he said, recalling that Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also accused of possible involvement in a tax fraud recently.

Opposition politicians asserted that Scholz exerted political influence seven years ago, while he was the premier of Hamburg, to help Warburg Bank avoid paying back €47 million in illegal tax refunds.

The CDU/CSU alliance, the largest opposition bloc in the parliament, has asked the chancellor last month to testify at the finance committee and answer questions about the tax fraud scandal.