![\\"logo\\"](\\"/img/logo-dpa-factchecking.svg\\"/) * WhatsApp service * About Us ![\\"IFCN](\\"/img/ifcn-certificate.png\\"/) ![\\"EFCSN](\\"/img/efcsn- certificate.png\\"/) # Flood donations will not be used for Laschet's election campaign Aug 5, 2021, 5:52 p.m. (CEST) In connection with the flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland There are always rumors and false claims in the Palatinate. Now it's called in a sharepic distributed on Facebook that not a cent of the donated 6.6 Millions of euros in the “Bright Spots” campaign for those affected in the flood area landed. It is assumed that this will make Armin Laschets Federal election campaign financed because his wife Susanne is patron of the action be. Can this be? ## Evaluation That is not correct. Susanne Laschet does not have a patron Right of disposal over the donated funds. ## Facts On July 26th, donations totaled 3,057,287 euros Flood victims in North Rhine-Westphalia in the “Bright Spots” campaign came together. From around July 23rd the sharepic was on Facebook spread. The claimed 6.6 million were not there at that time reached. Since then, the number of donations has increased to around 9.1 million euros (as of: August 5, 2021) continued to grow. Just as unfounded as the 6.6 million At that time there was also the claim that the donations were used in the election campaign from CDU politician Armin Laschet. For none of the allegations will a source is also provided. Susanne Laschet is the patron of this campaign. However, that means just that she supports “Bright Spots” with her name. So she has a representative function and no power to decide what to do with the should happen with donations. According to his own statements, he supports the campaign «Children, young people and their families (in North Rhine-Westphalia) who are materially, financially and... are in psychological distress.” There are no connections between the Lichtblicke campaign and that Armin Laschet's election campaign, writes the German Press Organization Agency in a statement. «The Lichtblicke campaign has always been active politically completely neutral and is not affiliated with any party in any way obliged,” it continues. There are no connections between the Lichtblicke campaign and that Armin Laschet's election campaign. It is common for spouses or Spouses of the Prime Ministers in office in North Rhine-Westphalia and Prime Ministers are offered patronage, writes the Aktion Lichtblicke continued in their statement. The organization explained further that the first money was transferred to flood victims on July 27, 2021. Aktion Lichtblicke e.V. bears the German donation seal Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI). The DZI is a recognized one independent testing authority in Germany that checks the seriousness of donations collecting organizations and institutions are assessed. In connection with the The DZI has a list of flood disasters in western Germany compiled by a trustworthy organization on which the campaign is based Bright spots are noted. In addition, the money would not have gone unnoticed in Armin Laschet's election campaign can flow. Because party finances in Germany basically have to be disclosed: “The Basic Law obliges the parties to decide on the The origin and use of their funds as well as their assets are public “To give accountability,” writes the Federal Ministry of the Interior on its website Website. According to the Federal Agency for Political Affairs, parties finance themselves Education from different sources: For example from membership fees Donations, from contributions from elected officials and from state funds. Out of They also have to use this pot to finance the election campaign. “Donations that exceed 50,000 euros in individual cases are The President of the German Bundestag must also be reported immediately. He publishes the donation promptly on the Internet with details of the donor,” it continues on the ministry website. Accordingly, a donation would have... Millions as claimed on Facebook can be recorded somewhere must. The Bundestag did not accept a donation of this amount find. In mid-July, a once-in-a-century storm with heavy rain caused a devastating flood triggered in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. Houses collapsed, streets became destroyed and bridges torn down. Many people have lost everything. At the More than 180 people were killed in the flood disaster. Some will still missing. (As of: August 5, 2021) ## Links Facebook post (archived) Bright spots website with donations status (archived) Campaign Bright Spots (archived) Patron Susanne Laschet (archived) Donation seal from DZI (archived) List of donations for flood victims from DZI (archived) Party financing bpb (archived) Federal Ministry of the Interior on party financing (archived) Bundestag page on party donations (archived) Contact the dpa fact check team: faktencheck@dpa.com powered by dpa-newslab | Imprint | Privacy | About:
Not a cent of the 66 million euros donated to Aktion Lichtblicke ends up with those affected in the flood area It is assumed that this is used to finance Armin Laschet's election campaign because his wife Susanne is the patron of the campaign