Last month, Nüßlein was placed under investigation for bribery following accusations that he accepted money in exchange for lobbying for a mask supplier during the first wave of the pandemic. READ ALSO: Merkel’s party slumps in polls as mask purchase scandal widensBild newspaper reported that the funds were transferred to a company of which Nüßlein was the managing director. Löbel stepped down from his position as a member of the ruling CDU party’s parliamentary group with immediate effect “to avert further damage” to the party. Nüßlein, who denies the charges against him, has also resigned from his post as one of the deputy leaders in the parliamentary group. Meanwhile, CDU parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus has not ruled out the possibility that there may be more MPs in the conservative parties’ ranks embroiled in mask deals.

Source: The Local March 08, 2021 17:48 UTC