The Hanover high court (Lower Saxony) on August 27 announced its intention to try German former president Christian Wulff (2010-2012) for influence-trafficking.
“Christian Wulff will be the first ever ex-president [of Germany] to find himself in court for soliciting personal favours,” notes Tagesspiegel.
Prosecutors claim that Wulff allowed an associate, film producer David Groenewold, to pay for part of his hotel bill and also for a baby sitter on the occasion of his visit to the Munich beer festival in 2008, when he was minister of Lower Saxony. In exchange, Wulff asked the company Siemens to provide funding for a film produced by Groenewold.
Wulff, who resigned in February 2012, may be fined or imprisoned for up to three years, notes the daily.
Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!
It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.
Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!