The board of directors of the controversial climate foundation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has announced its resignation.
This was announced by Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig and the previous chairman Erwin Sellering (both SPD) on Tuesday.
The way should now be free for the foundation to be dissolved, "even if it would not be easy from a legal point of view," as Schwesig said.
She had come under criticism because the country had established the foundation in early 2021, also to secure the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline despite threats of sanctions from America.
Matthias Wysuwa
Political correspondent for northern Germany and Scandinavia based in Hamburg.
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The foundation had received EUR 200,000 from the state and EUR 20 million from Nord Stream 2 AG, and the statute provided for the establishment of a commercial entity to help complete the pipeline.
However, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the state government sharply criticized Russia and demanded that business operations be stopped.
The goal of dissolving the foundation was announced.
However, two expert opinions came to different conclusions as to whether this was even possible.
One had been commissioned by the previous board of directors around Sellering, the other by the state government.
That of the state government saw the possibility that the foundation could be dissolved either by the board of directors or by the foundation supervisory authority.
Sellering had repeatedly expressed doubts that the foundation could be dissolved.
This Wednesday, a parliamentary committee of inquiry into the foundation will be set up in the Schwerin state parliament.
In addition to the former Prime Minister Sellering, the board of the foundation also includes the CDU politician Werner Kuhn and the entrepreneur Katja Enderlein.