Germany’s Minister for Culture and Media, Wolfram Weimer, is increasingly under pressure for being allegedly involved in a scheme offering personal access to government members for money.
Yesterday, Ralf Stegner, an influential MP for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which is in a government coalition with Weimer’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), demanded accountability from Weimer, telling news portal T-Online: “When tickets for events featuring politicians, and especially members of the government, are sold for several thousand euros, it always leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
“Mr Weimer, as a member of the government, has a special responsibility to ensure that there is no impression of corruptibility or undue advantage.”
After two days of media silence – with one newspaper even deleting an already published article on the affair – several pundits have now started to call for Weimer’s resignation.
He has come under fire after it became known that his company, Weimer Media Group, had offered companies paid access to politicians at the Ludwig Erhard Summit from May 7 to 9. That was an event attended by many heavyweights of the government of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The packages included entrance tickets as well as slots as speakers on panel discussions and – in case of the most expensive package for €80,000 – attendance in a “meeting lounge for confidential conversations”, allegedly with government politicians.
The Bavarian State Government – which co-hosts the summit – has announced it is reviewing its participation in the event and whether the summit should continue to receive support from the State.
Weimer declined to comment on the allegations. The minister and his media company did not respond to several requests for comment by Brussels Signal.
A lawyer hired by Weimer and his wife – who is a co-owner of Weimer Media Group – said the minister was denying the accusations.
“Wolfram Weimer resigned from all operational functions at Weimer Media Group before taking office.
“[He] is therefore no longer involved in any decision-making processes or the organisation of events by the company … Wolfram Weimer has also ceased to participate in the Ludwig Erhard Summit organised by the Weimer Media Group,” the lawyer said.
He added that his clients had tasked him with investigating legal measures. He also accused the news portal that had first published the allegations of being a “right-wing populist medium”.
Libertarian politician Marcus Pretzell commented ironically on the lawyer’s remarks: “Mr Weimer is part of the Federal Government. It is only is wife who peddles influence on the government.”
Weimer and his wife each hold 50 per cent of Weimer Media Group. Weimer’s wife Christiane Götz-Weimer is listed as the CEO of the company, which posted a profit of €400,000 in 2023.
