Schwerin (dpa/mv) – In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, former members of the government have to wait twelve months before they are allowed to take on new jobs, for example in business. A change in the law introduced by the Greens, which was intended to extend the so-called waiting period to 18 months, did not find a majority in the state parliament in Schwerin on Wednesday. Although other opposition factions supported the move, the governing coalition of the SPD and the left rejected the change. In the previous legislative period, the then opposition left had also pleaded for 18 months.
In the concluding debate, Minister of the Interior Christian level (SPD) pointed out that the twelve-month waiting period had only been decided a good year ago and that experience should first be gained. “Let the law take effect first,” said level. So far it has not found any application. In the minister’s view, moving from politics to business is not a bad thing in principle. “We need permeability in both directions,” he emphasized. However, clear rules must apply, which are given by law.
According to current ministerial law, former and current government officials and senior civil servants must report taking up non-public employment within one year of leaving government. If public interests are adversely affected by the new job, a waiting period of one year can be imposed. The government makes the decision based on the recommendation of a commission of experts.
Similar rules apply to the federal government and some other states. This is intended to counteract the appearance of biased administration. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2014, the seamless transition of the then energy minister, Volker Schlotmann (SPD), to the green energy sector sparked discussions.
