The President of the German Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, warned that, in view of the accusations against the AfD, parliamentarians must handle public funds responsibly. She told the “Tagesspiegel” that MPs can hire staff “because the sovereign – and taxpayers – enable it, and because it is essential for a parliament to function”. Klöckner added that political decorum alone demands proper use of these resources, explicitly ruling out nepotism, self‑serving hiring or shady employment arrangements.
She further insisted that employees who are denied a House‑Card should no longer receive pay. This stance was already laid out in a letter she sent to the first parliamentary managers just before the Christmas holidays. Klöckner welcomed the fact that the parliamentary factions are considering possible amendments to the Members‑of‑Parliament Act in light of this issue.
Both the Union and the SPD are calling for a stricter Members‑of‑Parliament Act that clearly defines the criteria for employees funded by taxpayer money. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) also signalled support for tighter statutory regulations in this area.