Investigations against SPD candidates Crash: crashed into the middle of the election campaign

This can't be right! If the police are on the case for a politician a week and a half before the election, then there must be other interests at play. Does someone want to consciously harm the candidate or, worse yet, strengthen the AfD in its whispers about the corrupt elites?

Such doubts are obvious in view of the investigations by the Hanover public prosecutor's office against Steffen Krach, the top candidate of the Berlin SPD for the House of Representatives election, which became known through the searches. For the SPD, which is already languishing in the polls and is tending more towards a coalition with the CDU than with the Left due to the noise, the events could be the final knock-out, regardless of whether the allegations end up being true or not.

Nevertheless, one should be careful with criticism of the investigation into possible bribery in connection with a procurement process for a health center. There is currently nothing to suggest that the public prosecutor's office is pursuing anything other than clarifying the suspicion of a suspected crime. An upcoming election should not be a criterion for the judiciary. Imagine if a search aimed at securing evidence was postponed to a later date out of consideration for the election campaign. Then the independence of the judiciary would be in question.

The taz is an independent, left-wing and opinionated daily newspaper. We have been arguing in our comments, essays and debate texts since the taz was founded in 1979. We often cannot and do not want to agree on an opinion. That's why you'll find some completely opposing positions here - all part of the very broad left-wing spectrum of opinions.

Given the information available, the investigators' actions cannot be criticized; the crime in question is too serious. Because wherever politicians try to influence decisions in favor of economic interests, democracy is undermined. Instead of underestimating the danger of corruption and, as is so often the case in Germany, exoticizing it, it is important to take it seriously. Especially in times of a rise of the AfD.

Steffen Krach speaks for himself: He probably arranged for a party donation from the bidder in the procurement process, for which he had vehemently supported, to be immediately transferred back by the Berlin SPD. A donation that remained just below the – unreasonably high – publication limit of 10,000 euros. But the processes are not clear up. There is a suspicion that the company had insider information in the struggle for the public contract. Krach denies having anything to do with it.

Steffen Krach may have acted correctly - or he may have been guilty of corruption. Nobody knows at the moment - and speculation is not good for electoral decisions. Berlin's voters should therefore evaluate Krach based on his political offer.