“Mirror” report
New trouble for Lindner? SMS from finance minister to Porsche boss surfaced
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP)
© Christian Spicker / AFP
#Porschegate goes into the next round. According to a media report, Finance Minister Christian Lindner exchanged views with Porsche boss Oliver Blume about the alleged interference in the coalition negotiations.
According to a media report, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Porsche boss Oliver Blume exchanged information directly after allegations of influence by the sports car manufacturer. The “Spiegel” reports citing a response from the Federal Ministry of Finance to a question from Left-wing MP Victor Perli about several SMS Lindners sent to Blume and a phone call between the two.
SMS from Christian Lindner to the Porsche boss
The ZDF satirical magazine “Die Anstalt” reported in mid-July, Blume said at a works meeting in June that Porsche played a “very large part” in the further use of synthetically produced e-fuels for combustion engines being included in the coalition agreement. FDP boss Lindner “kept him up to date almost every hour”.
The show aired on July 19. According to the new “Spiegel” report, the Ministry of Finance logged “two text messages from BM Lindner to CEO Blume asking for a phone call” for July 22nd. For the following day it says: “An SMS from BM Lindner to CEO Blume with congratulations on the acquisition of VW CEO and for the follow-up reporting on Blume’s alleged statements”. Also: “Telephone call between BM Lindner and CEO Blume”.
At first it was only known that the spokesman for Lindner and Blume had reached an agreement on the matter, it said in the “Spiegel”. The Federal Ministry of Finance contradicted this representation on Friday morning. The comment by “Spiegel” was “capable of being countered,” it said.
Allegation of interference denied
After the statements became known, the FDP and Porsche had rejected allegations of influence. Blume, who will become head of the Volkswagen Group on September 1, said the “Bild am Sonntag”, he had “chosen the wrong words” at an internal event, which created a “wrong impression”. A spokesman for Porsche AG said the “Welt am Sonntag”, the date was “exaggeratedly formulated”. The choice of words “did not correspond to the facts”.
The left-wing MP Perli now told the “Spiegel” about the answer of the Federal Ministry of Finance to his question: “The answer proves that the paths from the Federal Minister of Finance to the Porsche boss are short and direct.” He asked for more clarification. The Federal Ministry of Finance must disclose whether and when Lindner’s communication with the Porsche Group was properly filed.
With regard to the “Spiegel” report, the Federal Ministry of Finance pointed out that Lindner had already to the “Handelsblatt” about his contacts with Blume in June, with the words: “No, there was no contact between Mr. Blume and me from the time I took office until the federal government positioned itself on the question of the ban on combustion engines. Only after the decision was made did I rather I contacted him briefly because I wanted to encourage him to present his technical arguments publicly in the sometimes one-sided discussion on synthetic fuels.”
“I have nothing to hide,” Lindner told the “Handelsblatt”. In the interview, Lindner also emphasized that he considers it “part of my oath of office that I maintain close contacts with business, employers and trade unions”. He is therefore not concerned with a commitment “for individual interests”.