The traffic light coalition has warned former Chancellor Angela Merkel to pay attention to the costs associated with her office in the Bundestag. There had been talks between the Chancellery and the office management, which “also related to needs-based staffing,” the Ministry of Finance reported to the Bundestag’s Budget Committee, according to “Spiegel”. It was made clear that such an office was not “status-related” but to “fulfill post-official tasks and ongoing obligations” and “in particular, use for private purposes and to generate additional income is excluded”. The reimbursement of travel expenses can only be considered “if the Federal Chancellor a. D. travels on behalf of and in the interest of the Federal Republic of Germany”.
The lush furnishings of Merkel’s office with nine employees had been criticized months ago. The office of former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, on the other hand, wants to completely dissolve the traffic light coalition because of its closeness to Russia – a step that left-wing politician Gesine Lötzsch is calling for for all ex-government leaders. According to Lötzsch, they “did not need their own court for life”. “Should office work really arise, it could also be handled by the Bundestag administration.”
