Raid on Berlin SPD top candidate Steffen Krach

Investigators searched the rooms of Berlin's SPD top candidate Steffen Krach on Wednesday. As the “Tagesspiegel” and the “Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung” report, Krach’s apartment in Berlin-Schöneberg, the SPD state headquarters in Wedding and rooms in Hanover were affected. The background is proceedings by the Hanover public prosecutor's office on suspicion of bribery.

“As the SPD Berlin and on behalf of our state chairman and top candidate Steffen Krach, we resolutely reject the allegations,” said a spokesman for the Berlin SPD to the “Tagesspiegel”. “Of course, we are cooperating fully with the authorities to dispel these unfounded allegations.”

According to information from the “Tagesspiegel”, the Hanover public prosecutor’s office is examining a possible donation in connection with the reorganization of the Lehrte hospital site. According to the “Tagesspiegel” report, the focus is on Krach’s time as regional president of Hanover. He also chaired the supervisory board of the municipal hospital chain from the end of 2021 to the beginning of 2026.

The regional administration decided three years ago to close the old hospital in Lehrte by 2030 and to build a modern health center instead. Krach had previously publicly stated which concept he preferred. According to “Tagesspiegel”, this was a model from a provider who later did not win the contract.

According to the report, the investigators do not rule out that Krach received an as yet unspecified “donation” from this provider. It is unclear whether this could have been addressed to Krach personally or to the SPD in the region. The presumption of innocence applies.