The legislative assembly debates and passes laws. - Minister President Weil faces questioning in the U-committee.
Stephan Weil, the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, will face questions from an investigative committee concerning the significant salary increase of an important staff member under his leadership. In addition, a state chancellery employee is set to be questioned as a witness in parliament on Thursday (starting at 10:15 am).
The investigative committee got underway around two months ago, with previous witnesses including Jörg Mielke from the State Chancellery, various employees from the same department, and Finance Minister Gerald Heer (Greens). The CDU is calling for Mielke's dismissal.
The primary focus of the committee is whether it was appropriate to increase the remuneration for the Weil employee. The opposition CDU refers to this as a "salary scandal" due to the modification of the long-standing administrative procedure for just one person. The CDU believes they are supported in their opinion by a legal opinion presented. The State Chancellery has repeatedly denied the accusation that the higher payment was not lawful.
The senior Weil employee's earnings were raised by 1,886 euros gross per month after the trial period, equating to approximately 22,600 euros annually. This individual has been employed by the State Chancellery since February 2023 and continues to occupy the position while receiving the increased paycheck.
In association with this situation, the public prosecutor's office in Hanover is examining the possibility of embezzlement for the potential suspects. Investigations were launched towards the end of May.
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The investigation committee in the German Parliament is examining the salary increase of a staff member under the leadership of Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil. The CDU, one of the major political parties, is pushing for the dismissal of Jörg Mielke, a State Chancellery employee who was previously questioned by the committee. The primary focus of the investigation is whether the salary increase for the Weil employee was appropriate, with the CDU labeling it a "salary scandal". The State Chancellery, however, denies that the higher payment was not lawful. Meanwhile, the public prosecutor's office in Hanover is investigating potential embezzlement in this case. The SPD, the other major political party in lower Saxony, has not publicly commented on the matter.
