Before Berlin election: SPD top candidate Krach: "Accusations against me unfounded"
In the evening, the public prosecutor's office made public what the investigations against Berlin's SPD leader Steffen Krach are about. The politician again rejects the allegations.
Steffen Krach, the Berlin SPD-Spitzenkandidat, has firmly denied allegations against him, stating they are unfounded. The allegations stem from initial suspicions of profiting from two cases and suspected restrictive practices in procurement tenders, violating business secrets and confidentiality. Krach informed his legal representative that only an investigation involving him is being conducted by the Staatsanwaltschaft Hannover.
The charges relate to a donation from a businessman to the SPD Berlin Land Association, allegedly requested at two occasions during a court procedure. Another allegation concerns the alleged unauthorized disclosure of a tender offer as a business secret during an auction for a property. Krach maintains that these accusations against him are unfounded.
The investigations are connected to his tenure as Regionspräsident of Hannover. He had requested a leave of absence from this position starting March 23, 2026, due to the Berlin election campaign. Krach's Berlin apartment, office spaces in Hannover, and the Berlin SPD headquarters were searched. Investigations began on September 3.
Krach claimed he donated 9,900 euros to the SPD Berlin Land Association during the New Year's transition, which he subsequently returned. The controversy arose as he favored a bieter favoring company for a clinic renovation project, promising to create a regional healthcare center and announcing significant investments. However, the Aufsichtsrat of the Klinikum Region Hannover decided otherwise and awarded the contract to the second bidder.
Krach denied having a personal involvement in the contract negotiations. He had only last communicated with the bieter two to two and a half years prior. The investigations are seen as disadvantageous to Krach, as the Berlin SPD is currently performing poorly in polls, ranking fifth behind Linke, CDU, AfD, and the Greens. Infratest dimap's survey, published on Thursday evening, showed the SPD's nationwide support at 12%, down from a 13% increase the previous week.
SPD officials, including party chairman Lars Klingbeil, have expressed solidarity with Krach, pledging to support him in the upcoming weeks.
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