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Germany already has its mask scandal.

The protagonist is

Nikolas Löbel

, a federal deputy for the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who used his contacts to propose a company that supplied masks and later pocket a commission of up to

250,000 euros

.

"In order to avoid further damage to my party, I

resign my mandate

in the Bundestag (Lower House of the German Parliament) with immediate effect," declared the deputy, thus yielding to pressure from his own parliamentary group.

It was made clear by the head of the conservative caucus, Ralph Brinkhaus, for whom "the obtaining of economic benefits by deputies for the intermediation in the supply of medical protection equipment in the context of the response to the pandemic

collides with our total misunderstanding and we strongly condemn it

.

"

The question of dubious mask deals had put the Conservative party in southwestern Germany in a bind, a week before

regional elections

in the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg.

Proof of the importance of these elections for the CDU, which will serve as a thermometer for the new federal president, Armin Lachet, is the early resignation of Löbel.

The 34-year-old MP had initially announced that he would resign his Bundestag seat at the end of August and that he would

not stand as a candidate

in the next elections, as planned.

The mask scandal involving Löbel jumped a few weeks ago, when the Prosecutor's Office asked the Bundestag to

lift the

politician's

immunity as

part of an investigation into the irregular sale of masks and medical supplies.

Löbel was called to testify by the parliamentary commission in charge of these matters and, in light of the material delivered by the Prosecutor's Office,

confirmed his involvement in those businesses.

According to the report, a company run by him had charged a commission of around 250,000 euros for brokering

contracts

between a supplier in Baden-Württemberg and two private companies in Heidelberg and Mannheim.

And everything indicates that it has not been the only case.

Another deputy from the government coalition made it known on Friday through his lawyer that he will not stand for re-election either, after investigations have been initiated against him for

alleged corruption

in another operation to sell masks.

The MP involved on this occasion is

Georg Nüsslein

, from the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) party.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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