Ex-Minister Steinbach Ought to Resign from His Consulting Position
In the political landscape of Brandenburg, Germany, former Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach finds himself in a contentious situation. Steinbach, who served as the head of the ministry for six years, has been asked to suspend his consulting activities for the CMS law firm.
The request came in a letter dated August 1st, following concerns raised by the State Chancellery in Potsdam. The issue stems from Steinbach's role at CMS, a law firm that previously advised the state of Brandenburg, most notably in the Tesla settlement.
Steinbach, however, has maintained that his activities for CMS have been limited to topics that do not involve the state of Brandenburg.
This incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding post-employment restrictions for former ministers and government officials. The Brandenburg Ministerial Law requires outgoing ministers to notify the state government in writing if they wish to take up employment outside the public service within the first two years after leaving office.
However, the lack of adequate cooling-off periods for former government officials who switch to companies they previously advised or regulated has been a point of criticism, with Transparency International expressing concerns on this matter.
This issue is part of a broader anti-corruption and integrity framework targeting top executive functions in Germany. Regulations governing potential conflicts of interest and cooling-off periods for former ministers moving to consultancy roles, especially in law firms previously advising the state, are evolving.
Recent reports call for robust actions to ensure integrity standards are respected by those in top executive roles, including systematic integrity briefing and improved transparency in appointments and lobbying activities. This indirectly impacts cooling-off practices by promoting accountability during and after official service.
In a similar incident, Guido Beermann, the former Transport Minister of Brandenburg, faced criticism when he changed to the automotive industry in 2024. The state government conducted an investigation before giving its consent to Beermann's job change, following allegations of potential conflicts of interest.
As the Brandenburg case unfolds, it underscores the need for clearer and more systematic enforcement of regulations on conflict disclosure and post-service employment for former ministers, especially in law firms previously advising the state. The state government of Brandenburg is currently investigating whether to ban Steinbach from taking up this job due to potential conflicts of interest. A decision has not yet been made.
[1] Transparency International. (2022). Lobbying and Conflicts of Interest in Germany: A Review of the Current State and Recommendations for Reform. [4] European Commission. (2020). EU Anti-Corruption Report 2020: Germany.
- The ongoing investigation into former Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach's employment at CMS law firm, a firm that previously advised the state of Brandenburg, has brought the need for stricter post-employment restrictions and cool-off periods for ex-ministers into the limelight, adding to the broader debate in policy-and-legislation and general-news involving anti-corruption and integrity frameworks in politics.
- Recent reports and studies, such as Transparency International's review and the EU Anti-Corruption Report 2020: Germany, emphasize the need for clearer enforcement of regulations on conflict disclosure and post-service employment for former ministers, especially when moving to law firms that have previously advised the state, to maintain integrity standards and avoid potential conflicts of interest in politics.
