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Chancellor candidate criticized over pay
Source: Agencies |
December 31, 2012, Monday
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CHANCELLOR candidate Peer Steinbrueck was widely criticized yesterday, even by his own center-left Social Democrats (SDP), for saying German leaders were underpaid.
Steinbrueck has struggled to gain ground against Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of next September's election, in part due to lingering criticism over him earning 1.25 million euros (US$1.65 million) as an after-dinner speaker in the past three years.
The remarks from the former finance minister about what he called the inadequate compensation for the chancellor drew speedy rebukes across the country's political spectrum, including from the last SPD chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
"A German chancellor does not earn enough based on the performance that is required of her or him compared with the jobs of others who have far less responsibility and far more pay," Steinbrueck, 65, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper.
"Nearly every savings bank director in North Rhine-Westphalia earns more than the chancellor does," Steinbrueck said of his home state.
Debates 'grotesque'
Merkel's pay is set to rise by 930 euros per month to 17,106 euros in 2013 along with pay rises for her ministers and members of parliament, increases that have been criticized for sending the wrong signal in an era of austerity.
"Some of the debates kicked up by the 'guardians of public virtue' are grotesque and are harmful for anyone considering getting involved in politics," Steinbrueck said.
The SPD trails Merkel's conservatives by 10 points in opinion polls, but, with its allies, the Greens, it does have a chance of winning in September because of the weakness of Merkel's Free Democrat coalition partners.
Steinbrueck, whose blunt talk makes him popular among some voters despite never winning a major election and being defeated as state premier in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2005, said there were times in his career when he was not as well off and admitted he was now a "wealthy Social Democrat."
Schroeder, chancellor from 1998 to 2005, has endorsed Steinbrueck to lead his party but told Bild am Sonntag newspaper: "In my view politicians in Germany are adequately compensated."
Dieter Wiefelspuetz, a top SPD member of parliament, said politicians were misguided if they compared their wages to private industry.
Steinbrueck has struggled to gain ground against Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of next September's election, in part due to lingering criticism over him earning 1.25 million euros (US$1.65 million) as an after-dinner speaker in the past three years.
The remarks from the former finance minister about what he called the inadequate compensation for the chancellor drew speedy rebukes across the country's political spectrum, including from the last SPD chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
"A German chancellor does not earn enough based on the performance that is required of her or him compared with the jobs of others who have far less responsibility and far more pay," Steinbrueck, 65, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper.
"Nearly every savings bank director in North Rhine-Westphalia earns more than the chancellor does," Steinbrueck said of his home state.
Debates 'grotesque'
Merkel's pay is set to rise by 930 euros per month to 17,106 euros in 2013 along with pay rises for her ministers and members of parliament, increases that have been criticized for sending the wrong signal in an era of austerity.
"Some of the debates kicked up by the 'guardians of public virtue' are grotesque and are harmful for anyone considering getting involved in politics," Steinbrueck said.
The SPD trails Merkel's conservatives by 10 points in opinion polls, but, with its allies, the Greens, it does have a chance of winning in September because of the weakness of Merkel's Free Democrat coalition partners.
Steinbrueck, whose blunt talk makes him popular among some voters despite never winning a major election and being defeated as state premier in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2005, said there were times in his career when he was not as well off and admitted he was now a "wealthy Social Democrat."
Schroeder, chancellor from 1998 to 2005, has endorsed Steinbrueck to lead his party but told Bild am Sonntag newspaper: "In my view politicians in Germany are adequately compensated."
Dieter Wiefelspuetz, a top SPD member of parliament, said politicians were misguided if they compared their wages to private industry.
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