Trusting cooperation: SPD and Greens defend Lindner

Trustful cooperation
SPD and Greens defend Lindner

Federal Finance Minister Lindner is suspected of accepting an advantage. The reason is a favor Lindner gave to a bank that gave him a loan for his house. Now he is threatened with the loss of his political immunity. However, the SPD and the Greens are protective of the FDP MPs.

The coalition partners SPD and Greens have backed Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the FDP in the controversy over possible commingling of private interests in house financing. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil said he did not want to comment on the specific case. “We work closely and trustingly with Mr. Lindner,” he added. Greens leader Ricarda Lang dodged the question about the specific allegations, but when asked about Lindner, she emphasized that there were no reasons for a cabinet reshuffle.

Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner had already repeatedly rejected the allegations in connection with a loan for his private house purchase. The “Tagesspiegel” had reported that when preparing a ministerial greeting for a private customer bank in Karlsruhe in May 2022, Lindner had concealed the fact that he had taken out a loan from the institute for his private house purchase. Because after the greeting he had another loan from the same bank, the minister is now threatened with criminal proceedings for accepting an advantage.

“There is no connection between events”

Lindner’s lawyer Christian Schertz said: “Mr. Lindner started his private real estate financing long before he took over his ministerial post. All conditions were always customary in the market. Granting a brief greeting on anniversaries such as the centenary of a bank is part of the regular duties of a minister.”

“There is no connection between the two processes,” emphasized Schertz. According to the rules of the Bundestag, Lindner made his previous work as a speaker at customer events transparent and published.

There was also criticism from the opposition against Federal Defense Minister Lambrecht. Most recently, a video made at the turn of the year with statements about the Ukraine war was also seen as unfortunate among the coalition members. The Greens and SPD did not want to comment on this either.

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