Mask affair: Study shows how scandals cost votes!

Mask affair: Study shows how scandals cost votes!

The mask affair, a political scandal that emerged in Germany in spring 2021, not only shook trust in the CDU/CSU, but also had a direct impact on the votes in the state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. In a recent study, political scientists from the University of Konstanz and the Technical University of Chemnitz examined the effects of such scandals on the political behavior of citizens. The results show that the behavior of individual politicians can influence the reputation of their entire party uni-konstanz.de reported.

The focus of the mask affair is particularly on the resigned MPs Georg Nüßlein, Nikolas Löbel and Mark Hauptmann, whose involvement in overpriced mask shops came to light. Since the summer of 2020, there have been rumors about politicians being involved in the mask business. Official reports about the Swiss company Emix's connection to politicians began in 2021, which led to enormous pressure on the Union faction. While Nüßlein, for example, is said to have received commissions of over 600,000 euros through his consulting work, Löbel admitted that his company also paid 250,000 euros for being involved in contracts like this capital.de explained in detail.

Political consequences

The study by Lukas Rudolph and Arndt Leininger clearly shows that the mask affair, which reached the general public on March 7, 2021, was preceded by journalistic reporting. At this point, two thirds of the postal voters had already cast their votes, and the scandal ultimately led to a loss of four percent among these voters for the CDU/CSU. Furthermore, none of the people involved were nominated for election, which makes the change in results particularly revealing, as in the publication “Can individual MPs damage their party’s brand?” is described in the “Journal of Politics”.

The demands caused by the mask affair presented the CDU under the newly elected chairman Armin Laschet with additional challenges. What is particularly explosive is that Laschet himself is associated with charges relating to orders for corona protective equipment. These developments have not only triggered reform efforts in the areas of lobbying and transparency, but have also fueled general skepticism towards politics in Germany.

Comparison with other political scandals

The mask affair is not alone; it is part of a long series of political scandals in Germany that have significantly strained trust in the government. An example from history is the Spiegel affair of 1962, which was triggered by Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauss' reaction to critical reporting. The Barschel affair of 1987 also showed how personal scandals can drag down political careers. These and many other incidents, including the CDU donations scandal in 1999 and the Wulff affair in 2011, illustrate the recurring themes of corruption and loss of trust in German politics rtl.de summarizes.

The mask affair could therefore serve as a catalyst for necessary reforms in Germany's political system. The pressure on the Union party is growing, especially if further irregularities are uncovered. The implications drawn from such scandals and the public reaction that follow could trigger long-term changes in the political landscape.