A confrontation is brewing in the electoral campaign, as the Union is taking aim at Chancellor’s Office Chief Wolfgang Schmidt. The Bundestag faction of CDU and CSU has submitted 80 questions to the federal government regarding Schmidt’s tenure as an SPD politician.
According to a small inquiry filed by the Union faction on January 21, which was reported by the “Spiegel” Schmidt is described as the “closest confidant” of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and is accused of being involved in “a multitude of political scandals.” This includes his role in defending Scholz during the Cum-Ex affair during his time as Hamburg’s mayor. A significant portion of the questions concern Schmidt’s interactions with journalists.
Some of the questions seem peculiar. For instance, the Union is inquiring about whether “the working time guidelines of Federal Minister Schmidt are being adhered to.” There is no such guideline for members of the federal government. According to the Union, the deadline for the inquiry’s response is February 13. Schmidt is running for the Bundestag for the first time, as a direct candidate in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel and the top candidate of the state SPD.