Volkswagen acknowledges emergence of questionable "Porsche-Gate" text: "We'll examine it once more"
Punchy & Fresh Take on "Porsche-Gate's" Latest Drama
Three years later, fresh revelations about the "Porsche-Gate" scandal surface, but will they ignite another inferno?
The main characters in this soap opera are none other than high-flying executives Oliver Blume of VW and Porsche and ex-Finance Minister, the suave Christian Lindner. Their secret conversations are back in the spotlight.
The investigation-driven organization, abgeordnetenwatch.de, has released a dozen steamy texts between these two heavy-hitters. These texts offer a peek behind the curtain at just how cozy the relationship between big business and politics can get. The texts were exchanged during the summer of 2022, as the traffic light coalition heatedly debated the end of combustion engines by 2035. Lindner and his FDP dug in their heels against EU plans, insisting that combustion engine cars could still run on E-Fuels after 2035.
"Blume Burns Lindner" - The Spark That Started It All
Oliver Blume fired off these words to Lindner at the end of June 2022: "Full support from Porsche", "We're doubling down", and "Thank you for your efforts". The exchange unfolded after Lindner sought "argumentative support" from Blume regarding the combustion engine ban: "Maybe another voice could help." This all went down during a critical EU environment ministers' meeting about the phaseout of combustion engines and allowing E-Fuels as an exception. Blume, ever the gentleman, thanked Lindner for his assistance: "Very good! That's climate protection through and through. [...] Thank you for your efforts."
While Blume seemed casual, his statements at an internal Porsche meeting would later raise eyebrows. He proudly declared, "We had a huge part in getting E-Fuels included in the coalition agreement. We were the primary force behind that, with close contact with the coalition parties. Christian Lindner has kept me in the loop nearly every day recently." This revelation would later become the center of the "Porsche-Gate affair," with Porsche offering a meek apology for Blume's "overzealous statement."
So, What Now?
A Lindner spokesperson, admitted Porsche aficionado, spoke with ZDF about the dozen published texts: "This exchange debunks all claims that Lindner influenced any decisions by the federal government or his own stance." Porsche also remained cool as a cucumber, stating, "Porsche has long advocated for E-Fuels as a complement to electromobility. This well-known position is reflected in the text messages between Lindner and Oliver Blume," the VW subsidiary told ZDF.
A Blistering Critique of Christian Lindner
Lara Louisa Siever, from abgeordnetenwatch.de, takes a critical stance towards Lindner's chat session with Blume: "If a government member actively seeks argumentative support from a lobbyist, and is even praised for their efforts, it sends a fatal signal for political independence." Siever also urges for transparency in politicians' communication lines, so that hidden influences can no longer lurk in the shadows.
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- The texts between Oliver Blume and Christian Lindner, exchanged during the summer of 2022, provide a glimpse into the cozy relationship between big business and politics, particularly in the context of the debate over the end of combustion engines by 2035.
- Lara Louisa Siever, from abgeordnetenwatch.de, criticizes the secret conversations between Christian Lindner and Oliver Blume, stating that a government member actively seeking argumentative support from a lobbyist sends a fatal signal for political independence.
