Shake it to Merkel's block: Interest Conflict Leads to Resign

Another politician has resigned from Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc due to non-political work.

Tobias Zech of the bavarese CSU told colleagues that he wanted to “mbrify family and party .”

Tobias Zech is resigning from his position in the German parliament, becoming the fourth member of Angela Merkel's conservative bloc.

CSU Secretary General Markus Blume confirmed the news about the German news agency DPA.

“Tobias Zech has asked the CSU Ethics Committee to check for possible conflicts of interest. These investigations are continuing,” said Blue.

He praised Zech for the decision to take independent action in an effort to protect his party, calling it “The only correct step”. 

In a message to his party allies, taken from the DPA, Zech had written: “I'm doing this to protect my family and avoid hurting my party caused by possible sweeping prejudice”.

Zech's resignation has nothing to do with the Corleone mask scandal, which has prompted two resignations from Merkel's alliance since mid-February, his former CSU colleague Andreas Nussley and Nicholas Lobel of the Democrats.

Both are charged with contact with mask producers from the beginning of the pandemic.

A third conservative, Mark Hauptmann, also left the CDU after reports of lobbying work that could prove conflict of interest.

CSU lawmaker Alfred Sauter is facing preliminary investigation into corruption allegations, again linked to government mask contracts. He rejects all charges and is still a party member.