More than a third of the current members of the lower house of the German parliament have earned additional income, according to an analysis published on Monday.
The figure rises to 50% for Bundestag members from Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU/CSU alliance, according to the analysis of compulsory reporting figures compiled by Der Spiegel news magazine and the Abgeordneten-Watch (Lawmaker Watch) website.
It found that 232 of 630 members reported additional income, or almost 37%, with the income totalling more than €10.6 million ($12.1 million).
Looking at the separate parties, the analysis found that 37% of members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) reported additional earnings, followed by 36% of Greens, 27% of Social Democrats (SPD) and 16% of The Left party.
Bundestag members are paid a taxable monthly salary of €11,833.47. In addition, they receive a tax-free amount for expenses of €5,467.27.
The law explicitly allows members to earn additional income, as long as their parliamentary work is the main focus, and additional income is declared.
Since the last legislative period, members have been required to notify the speaker precisely how much they earn additionally, once the sum exceeds €1,000 a month or €3,000 a year.
The details are published on the Bundestag's internet page and constantly updated.
