The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) are working together to tighten the rules that govern employment of staff under the “Abgeordnetengesetz” (Parliamentary Representatives Act). The parliamentary managers of the two coalition factions-Hendrik Hoppenstedt of the CDU and Johannes Fechner of the SPD-are drafting a joint proposal that the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported on Thursday.
Fechner told the newspaper that “we must strengthen the Parliamentary Representatives Act”. He added that the existing provision should be expanded to prohibit representatives from hiring spouses or relatives of other parliamentarians on state money. “This new restriction should not apply only to members of the Bundestag but also to members of the European Parliament and state parliaments” he explained. The intent is to prevent a Bundestag member from employing a relative of a state or European parliamentarian using public funds.
Fechner also said that “representatives should still be allowed to employ relatives at their own expense”. His point, he noted, is “to prevent the abuse of tax money through nepotism”.
Hoppenstedt echoed this sentiment, stating that “we want to adjust the rules now so that as much abuse as possible is prevented”. He added that the CDU already enjoys a basic alignment with the SPD on this issue. However, he highlighted some complications: professional freedom is enshrined in the constitution, and not every case of a distant relative working for another representative necessarily constitutes nepotism. Nevertheless, when representatives clearly cross‑employ relatives in a way that elevates each other’s family income, Hoppenstedt called it “an absolutely indefensible swamp of corruption that must be drained”.
In sum, the coalition parties seek to broaden the ban on employing spouses and relatives of other parliamentarians on state funds, allow personal hiring at private expense, and enforce stricter oversight to curb nepotistic practices across the Bundestag, European Parliament and state legislatures.