Niedersachsen’s Prime Minister, Stephan Weil, is embroiled in a controversy surrounding a significant increase in salary for his new office manager, Aynur C. The Parliamentary Investigation Committee is tasked with uncovering the circumstances and reasons behind this salary raise. The committee’s proceedings are marked by discussions on procedural matters and the opposition’s skepticism towards the government’s transparency. The opposition, particularly the CDU, is quick to assume deception or incompetence on the part of the ruling SPD and Green parties. In contrast, the government views the investigation as unnecessary political theater.
The controversy stems from Prime Minister Weil’s decision to grant Aynur C. a higher salary in February 2023, despite her being entitled to a lower salary as a non-career public servant. Weil and his chief of staff, Jörg Mielke, justified the salary increase by citing the need to attract qualified individuals to the public service sector amidst a general shortage of personnel. This decision has come under scrutiny for its perceived lack of transparency and the delayed public disclosure of the case. The opposition has seized on the opportunity to question the government’s motives and handling of the situation.
The government’s defense of the salary increase rests on the argument that it was part of a broader policy change to allow higher compensation for non-career public servants in the future. The first witness in the investigation, Sabine Tegtmeyer-Dette, a Green party state secretary, corroborated this narrative by stating that Weil had requested a general solution, rather than a one-off decision. However, differing opinions within the government on the need for approval from the finance ministry have raised questions about the decision-making process surrounding Aynur C.’s salary increase.
The government implemented a new policy in the fall of last year to align salaries for non-career public servants with those of civil servants in similar positions, regardless of prior experience. While the coalition portrays Aynur C. as the catalyst for this overdue reform, the opposition remains unconvinced and suspects that the case was rushed through for personal reasons. Concerns have also been raised about the government’s alleged pressure on the finance ministry and the incomplete disclosure of relevant documents. The investigation will continue, with the possibility of further interrogations to shed light on the controversial decision-making process.
