What is the core aim of Julia Klöckner’s proposal?

She wants to stop cross-hiring of relatives across parliamentary offices, a practice linked to AfD nepotism in media reports. The plan focuses on stronger disclosures, a clear cross-hiring ban, and tighter parliamentary staffing law rules to protect taxpayer funds, improve integrity, and reduce legal and headline risk for Germany’s public sector.

How could a cross-hiring ban be enforced in practice?

Enforcement would likely rely on sworn declarations, central conflict registers, regular audits by the Bundestag administration, and spot checks. Penalties could include salary clawbacks, fines, and temporary hiring suspensions. Repeat or serious breaches might trigger procurement exclusion where relevant, creating a visible deterrent for offices and vendors.

Which sectors should prepare for increased scrutiny?

Vendors serving parliamentary offices face the most scrutiny, including IT integrators, staffing firms, consultancies, media and events providers, security, and facilities. Construction contractors may also see more conflict checks. If similar rules spread to Länder and municipalities, oversight will widen across the German public sector supply chain.

What should companies do now to reduce compliance risk?

Refresh conflict-of-interest policies, map related-party ties, and update third-party due diligence. Build a clear disclosure workflow, keep ownership records current, and maintain audit-ready hiring files. Assign a compliance lead for tenders and prepare standard conflict attestations, so bids and contracts can proceed without delays under tighter rules.

Law and Government

Germany Governance Watch, February 25: Klöckner Targets AfD Nepotism

ByDanny Kontos February 25, 2026February 25, 2026

Julia Klöckner signaled tougher oversight of Bundestag offices on February 25, targeting AfD nepotism and cross-hiring of relatives. She aims to tighten the parliamentary staffing law to protect taxpayer funds and raise integrity standards. For investors in Germany, new compliance rules can shift political risk, due diligence needs, and procurement scrutiny. We outline what Klöckner proposed, how a cross-hiring ban might work in practice, and which sectors could feel the impact. Expect fast-moving debates and committee work that determine enforcement, penalties, and disclosure duties across parliamentary offices.