{
  "id": 3260963,
  "title": "Transparency International: Länder verbessern Lobbyregeln - In der Praxis hapert es oft",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/transparency-international-lander-verbessern-lobbyregeln-in-der",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-25T12:00:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/transparency-international-laender-verbessern-lobbyregeln-in-der-praxis-hapert-es-oft/100249542.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "In recent years, most German states have made progress in enhancing their rules for transparent politics and the influence of lobbyists. However, Transparency International Germany, an organization dedicated to combating corruption, has criticized Thuringia in particular. The independent organization is disappointed to see that Berlin and Saarland have yet to decide on a regulation for periods of inactivity for retired politicians. According to Transparency International Germany's 2026 Lobby Ranking, 12 out of the 16 states have slightly improved since 2024. Nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement, especially in practical implementation. Norman Loeckel from Transparency Germany points out that even where lobby transparency regulations exist, they are often not enforced. One stark example is Thuringia, where \"model rules have been effectively suspended.\" The Landtagsverwaltung (state administration) decided to disregard the existing law based on its own assessment, specifically regarding the lobby register and legislative footprint. Deficiencies in practical implementation are also evident at the federal level. Despite this, the federal government ranks higher at 73 percent compared to other states. At the state level, Baden-Württemberg leads with 59 percent of fulfilled criteria, followed by Bavaria which maintains its second place with 56 percent. Hamburg has improved its rank by nine places since 2024, reaching 50 percent after deciding on a lobby register with executive footprints. Bremen remains at the bottom with only 15 percent, and so does Lower Saxony despite improvements in behavioral rules. Thuringia drops to fourth place (43 percent) due to insufficient implementation of its regulations for the lobby register and legislative footprint. Thuringia was previously at the top of the ranking two years ago. The ranking assessed four criteria for an honest and transparent politics: Does a state have a lobby register and how is it structured? A lobby register is a public list of interest groups seeking to influence political decisions, including details about their interests and resources. A legislative footprint should make it transparent how a law is created, which actors are involved, and what contribution they made. Are there periods of inactivity for government members and senior officials when they move from politics to the private sector? What behavioral rules, reporting obligations, and prohibitions exist for Members of Parliament's side jobs? Each criterion contributes one quarter to the overall assessment, with individual requirements weighted differently. Transparency also criticizes its current ranking, noting that Berlin, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, and Bremen are the only states without a period of inactivity rule to prevent conflicts of interest or the misuse of insider knowledge by politicians. While discussions about such a rule in Berlin have been ongoing for years, no concrete regulation has materialized. Transparency argues that this is hard to justify, as the federal regulation could easily be adopted by the states, as has been done by Rhineland-Palatinate recently.",
  "summary": "Trotz verbesserter Regeln in vielen Bundesländern sieht Transparency International weiter Lücken bei der Umsetzung – besonders in Thüringen, aber auch im Bund.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}