Merkel challenger rakes in 1.25 m euros for speeches

GERMANY: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s challenger in the 2013 election revealed Tuesday he made 1.25 million euros ($1.62 million) over the last three years giving speeches, and called for more transparency among his rivals. Under fire in the media, among opponents and even in his own party for his sizeable income on top of his normal salary, Peer Steinbrueck of the Social Democrats (SPD) said his announcement was intended to set an example.

“I have gone far beyond what the current transparency rules require,” he told a news conference, saying he had given 89 lectures, usually for more than 7,000 euros a piece, since late 2009. He called on “competing parties” to match his degree of openness.

“After others have tried to throw a rock at my head, I’m helping to turn it into a boomerang flying right back at their heads,” the sharp-tongued 65-year-old said.

Steinbrueck, who served as finance minister under Merkel from 2005 to 2009 in a so-called “grand coalition” government, said this month, days after he was picked to stand in the 2013 election, that he would give up paid lectures.

German media have noted that the issue was perhaps more awkward for Steinbrueck as a candidate from the centre-left SPD, which has traditionally been the party of the working class.

AFP