Substantial expenditures incurred for mask acquisitions' aftermath
The mask procurement controversy involving former German Health Minister Jens Spahn remains a significant issue under investigation as of July 2025.
Jens Spahn has been under scrutiny for ordering masks at excessive costs during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Reports suggest that he procured masks on a large scale "against the advice of his specialized departments," raising questions about the misuse of public funds.
A previously secret investigation report on the mask procurement during Spahn’s tenure has been or is about to be presented to the Bundestag’s Budget Committee. Federal Health Minister Nina Warken announced the report would have some redactions for data protection reasons, including personal employee data and business secrets. Spahn is expected to voluntarily appear before the Budget Committee to comment on the findings.
The Federal Finance Ministry, under Olaf Scholz at the time, is now also under scrutiny for whether it followed appropriate legal protocols in the procurement transactions. This broadens the scope of the investigation from just the Health Ministry to include financial oversight responsibilities.
The leak of an unredacted COVID-19 report related to these mask procurements has intensified the controversy and pressure on Spahn. Political reactions include calls from opposition figures for Spahn to resign from his current role as parliamentary group leader due to alleged careless squandering of taxpayer money.
The controversy is ongoing with parliamentary investigations, public scrutiny, and political ramifications still unfolding. Jens Spahn remains under considerable pressure while the German government faces calls for greater transparency and accountability regarding its pandemic procurement practices.
The Federal Court of Auditors is involved in examining these procurement irregularities, but specific recent rulings or decisions by the court have not been detailed in the available information.
There are currently around 100 lawsuits with a total claim value of 2.3 billion euros pending, related to mask procurement in 2020. The federal government is expected to spend an additional 57 million euros on the administration of mask overprocurement related to the 2020 corona crisis, bringing the total cost to 517 million euros by 2024.
The Federal Court of Auditors has criticized a "massive overprocurement" of masks, with only 1.7 billion masks out of 5.8 billion procured being distributed within Germany. The court has also identified risks from contracts for direct purchases of up to 120 million euros for 2025 and 360 million euros from legal disputes.
The Union has rejected a parliamentary inquiry, with Steffen Bilger (CDU) stating that the black-red coalition is planning a committee of inquiry of the Bundestag for the Corona period. The committee, according to Bilger, can work with experts in a factual and non-partisan manner to process the pandemic.
The Greens and Left have intensified their criticism of Spahn regarding the mask purchases. The Federal Court of Auditors has found no distribution concept for the still usable remainder of 800 million protective masks by 2024. Spahn has also stated that he does not fear a parliamentary inquiry.
The controversy is expected to continue as the investigation proceeds and parliamentary proceedings unfold. The German government will need to address concerns about transparency and accountability to maintain public trust in its pandemic response.
In the midst of the ongoing mask procurement controversy, questions have arisen about the role of industry, finance, and politics in this matter. The Federal Finance Ministry, under Olaf Scholz at the time, is under scrutiny for adhering to legal protocols in the procurement transactions, broadening the investigation beyond the Health Ministry. Meanwhile, general-news outlets report calls from opposition figures for Jens Spahn to resign due to the alleged misuse of public funds in the mask procurement.
