Brandenburg Prohibits Ex-Minister Steinbach from Providing Advisement

Former Brandenburg Economics Minister Temporarily Halts Consulting Activities for CMS Law Firm

Jörg Steinbach, the former president of the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and former president of the Technical University of Berlin, who served as the Brandenburg economics minister from 2018 to 2024, has been advised to temporarily halt his consulting activities for the CMS law firm due to potential conflicts of interest with the state.

The lobby organization that criticized the cabinet's decision regarding the ban on Steinbach's employment was the DGB (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund). Lobby Control also joined in the criticism, stating the move as problematic.

Steinbach, who was known as "Mr. Tesla" due to his involvement in discussions about Tesla's settlement in Grünheide near Berlin, had initially informed the state government of his plans to consult for the CMS law firm, with no objections as long as he did not undertake any activities related to Brandenburg. However, further plans for the CMS law firm led to a renewed review due to potential conflicts of interest.

The specific reasons for the potential conflicts of interest between Steinbach and the CMS law firm are not mentioned in the article. The cabinet followed the recommendation of an advisory committee to prohibit Steinbach from working for the CMS law firm until December 10, 2026.

It is not clear whether Steinbach has decided to appeal the decision. The former economics minister regretted the decision and left open the possibility of appealing.

In a related development, last year, a change of former transport minister Guido Beermann (CDU) to the automotive industry sparked criticism. After an examination, the state government ultimately agreed to the change for Beermann.

The CMS law firm had previously advised the state of Brandenburg in connection with Tesla's settlement. Steinbach's activities for CMS have focused on topics unrelated to the state of Brandenburg, according to Steinbach.

The Brandenburg Ministerial Act requires government officials to notify the state government if they want to take up employment outside the public service within the first two years after leaving office. The government can prohibit the new job entirely or in part for the first two years after leaving office if public interests are affected.

This development comes as a setback for Steinbach, who had been actively working in the field of law and consultancy since leaving office. The decision will likely have implications for his future career and the potential for future conflicts of interest with the state.