Investigation against SPD candidates: Steffen Krach rejects allegations

SPD top candidate Steffen Krach has rejected allegations that he was bribed in a procurement process. On the sidelines of an election campaign meeting on Wednesday evening, he described these as “baseless allegations”. He emphasized: “I have in no way accepted any sum from this bidder, neither privately nor as SPD state chairman.”

On Wednesday, on the instructions of the Hanover public prosecutor's office, investigators searched Krach's private apartment in Berlin-Schöneberg, the headquarters of the Berlin SPD in the Wedding district and his former official residence in Hanover. The investigation concerns the allegation that Krach received a donation in order to advocate for a bidder.

The background is the decision about a health center in the Lehrte district at the end of last year. As regional president of the Hanover region, Krach was on the supervisory board of the municipal hospital chain and is said to have advocated internally for a bidder who ultimately did not win the contract.

According to Krach and the Berlin SPD, there was actually a donation. Treasurer Fabian Fischer announced: There was “an attempt to donate 9,900 euros to the SPD Berlin at the turn of the year.” “On the instructions of our top candidate, a decision was immediately made to reject this donation.” Krach said: “There was a donation that we transferred back within 24 hours because I immediately said that I definitely could not accept this donation.” According to his memory, it was 9,500 euros.

According to Economics Senator Franziska Giffey (SPD), Krach reported in great detail on Wednesday both in the executive state executive board and in the parliamentary group. “Just as Steffen described everything yesterday, the comrades expressed their full solidarity and support for him,” said Giffey.

For the SPD, the situation is still precarious a week and a half before the election to the House of Representatives. In the most recent surveys, the party was only behind at 11 to 15 percent.