Federal government must take a stronger stance against lobbyists' influence on politics
In their current Rule of Law report, the EU Commission also pointed to issues in Germany. No progress has been made recently on the coalition promise for more information transparency and on the planned tax exemption for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), according to the country recommendations published in Brussels on Wednesday. The federal government must take stronger action against lobbying influence on politics.
The federal government must create a "legal basis for access to information for the press against federal authorities," according to the commission recommendations. The coalition of SPD, Greens, and FDP had promised a novelty of the Federal Transparency Law, but according to critics, the plans are not advancing.
Regarding politically active NGOs, the green-led Federal Family Ministry proposed tax privileges. However, Finance Minister Christian Lindner opposes this.
Furthermore, Brussels called on Germany to strengthen regulations against the so-called revolving door effect. This refers to the transition of former politicians or civil servants into the business sector. In addition, Brussels demanded "an appropriate salary level for judges and public prosecutors" according to European standards.
The EU-Legal-State-Report criticizes the federal government for lacking progress in combating lobbyist influence on politics, specifically in regards to the coalition promise for transparency and tax exemptions for NGOs. Lobbyists have been seen to exert significant influence over the Federal Government's politics in this context.
