According to domestic media reports, 6 senior Green Party leaders in Germany were investigated and suspected of privately extracting membership fees to issue new crown subsidies to themselves.
On January 19, local time, the Berlin Prosecutor's Office said it had launched a corruption investigation into the German Green Party's Federal Executive Committee, which included German Deputy Chancellor Robert Habeck and German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock. It is reported that the Green Party Federal Executive Committee is composed of 6 members, the remaining 4 are Michael Kellner, the Green Party Federal Standing Committee, the Green Party Federal Vice Chairman Jamila Schaefer, the Green Party Federal Vice Chairman Ricarda Long, and the federal treasurer Mark Urbach.
According to reports, the investigation is related to a controversial "covid-19 special subsidy". Members of the Green Party's Federal Executive Committee approved a subsidy of 1,500 euros (about 10,800 yuan) from membership fees in 2020 to compensate for personal losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Green Party auditors have been harshly critical of this, arguing that similar subsidies do not fall within the party's mandate. Under the collective agreement, executive committee members can only receive subsidies of up to 300 euros (about 2,160 yuan).
With the exception of Urbach, the other alleged members of the Green Party's Federal Executive Committee are all members of the Bundestag and enjoy political immunity. Therefore, before an investigation can be launched, the Speaker of the Bundestag, Belbel Bass, must be informed. After that, according to the law, the public prosecution organ needs at least 48 hours to formally file a case for investigation after receiving the corresponding notice.
At present, the Greens have responded to this. A Green Party spokesman said the personnel involved and relevant departments were actively cooperating with the prosecutor's office to clarify the matter quickly and thoroughly.
During the 2021 national campaign, Bel burke, the Greens' prime ministerial candidate, has reportedly been criticized for approving such a controversial bonus himself. In response, she once said: "We should not do that. ”