Steinbrück under pressure The tarnished candidate

DAPD SPD chancellor candidate Steinbrück: "Is this something special?"
His approval ratings fall, ensure his lavish fees for criticism, the Greens distance themselves from the SPD chancellor candidate: Peer Steinbrück is under pressure - and react increasingly irritated. The scandal involving one of his clients is not yet over.



 
Berlin - Peer Steinbrück is snotty. In the Bundestag, he speaks to the care allowance, he just tells the story of a meeting with teachers. Haha, Steinbrück, the millionaire visited a suburban daycare? From the enemy camp echoing sounds of derision. The speaker interrupts: "Yes, you do not continue the talks," he grouses towards coalition government. "Is that for you about something special?"

Steinbrück is indeed known for occasional shaking, but these days it will respond to attacks or irritable than usual, the week-long debate on his luscious lecture fees that leave piecemeal announcement of his perks, all that has traces. The election year has not even started yet, and Steinbrueck had already crawling through various trenches.
Although the black-yellow coalition disgraced in perks dispute least as much as the SPD's top man. But stuck in many minds so too does the image from the fine lecture travelers who allegedly earns only one million, then two, and his indecisive crisis management had little credibility.

The latest polls seem to give the right commentators: Steinbrück has within a short time lost neat sympathies to the voters, more than two thirds of Germans think of dealing with his perquisites harmed Steinbrück Image sustainable. Recently went to the preferred coalition partners, the Greens, at a distance.

Under so much pressure on the attacked to attack. In a radio interview, he criticized the "envy complex debate" about his person. In his care benefit-speech he castigated the premium, which was decided shortly after the Bundestag, in snappy style. "Basic False", "moronic", "mischief" is the subsidy, created by "a high degree of self-denial."

The plans of the government coalition fit "rather in the Biedermeier idyll", his rival Angela Merkel (CDU) he threw "power pragmatism" before. Ahead of the vote Steinbrueck, who speaks otherwise rather in Europe and economic policy into a rage, promised full, he'll care benefit from a successful election "immediately abolish" had.

The celebrities and the Stadtwerke Bochum

Steinbrück's sudden personal commitment to the care allowance is probably no coincidence. In men is Peer Steinbrück good, but young voters distrust him. The chancellor candidate has also identified himself and announced that the party executive to work on it - for example, by more present in socio-political debates occur.

But it is questionable whether the new strategy can forget the controversy over his fees. Steinbrueck urged in recent weeks, attacked by his critics, always one's own desire for transparency. That's a nice word, and in politics just very fashionable. But Steinbrück last name was always associated with Stadtwerke Bochum in context - and it apparently took with transparency not quite as accurate.

The public has been well for years deceived about exorbitant fees that the exclusive guest but should not be donated. 2008, the city of art strapped municipality had the "Atrium-Talk" initiative, which now held twice a year, before an exclusive audience of almost 170 hand-picked audience. The speakers - besides Steinbrück appeared among other Joschka Fischer, Joachim Gauck, Richard von Weizsäcker, Peter Maffay, Uli Hoeness and Dietrich Grönemeyer - were very well paid, the cost of each event were around 87,000 euro.

"A disaster"

Yet in 2010 told the city council: "All fees go to charity." But that was wrong, and perhaps it was a lie. Ironically, that is the obligation of the designated SPD chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrück, who received 25,000 euros for nearly a half-hour chat about everything under the sun, the questionable generosity brought into the social democratic governments city to light.


The "Atrium-Talk", this much is already clear, is no longer held. And the customer Stadtwerke Bochum is facing a hefty price increase - of course, only because of the energy transition.
On Thursday Steinbrueck then known, and voluntarily donate his fee from his own pocket drauflegen a few thousand euros want to. But his prominent name remains with the possible municipal affair now linked until further notice. An additional flaw in the election campaign of candidates for chancellor.

The Union will certainly not let up and inflame the issue again and again. "I have asked in my entire life no fee for lectures. Unlike Mr Steinbrück by Stadtwerke Bochum or many other", Union parliamentary leader Volker Kauder quipped on Friday in an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE. The chancellor candidate and his party were "very self-absorbed, while we take care of the real problems in Germany and Europe."