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oversight findingVerified

Bundestag inquiry examines defence-ministry consultancy contracts

In 2018–2019 the Bundestag examined external consultancy contracts at the German defence ministry under minister von der Leyen, including alleged irregularities in awarding work to McKinsey and others. She left the ministry for the Commission in July 2019. In the causal graph this event strengthens Institutional Corruption, a driver that strengthens Political corruption index — a worsening welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

In 2018–2019 the Bundestag examined external consultancy contracts at the German defence ministry under minister von der Leyen, including alleged irregularities in awarding work to McKinsey and others. She left the ministry for the Commission in July 2019. The inquiry is a parliamentary oversight record, not a completed criminal conviction.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • Ursula von der Leyen

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.75 · verified

    The contracts sat in a ministry she ran. Parliamentary inquiry, not a finished court judgment, is the public Fact.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactBundestag inquiry examines defence-ministry consultancy contracts
    2. strengthensDriverInstitutional Corruption
    3. strengthensIndicators (3)Political corruption index
    Worsening path

    impact weight 0.4 · Effect from 19 June 2019 · verified

    A documented consultancy-award controversy in a defence ministry strengthens the institutional-corruption driver through a procurement-integrity mechanism.

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.DW — defence minister under fire over consulting contractsIndependent reporting · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Bundestag — debate on defence-ministry consultancy contractsOfficial record · High credibility · verified

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorUrsula von der Leyen
  2. contributed toFactBundestag inquiry examines defence-ministry consultancy contracts
  3. strengthensDriverInstitutional Corruption
  4. strengthensIndicatorPolitical corruption index

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). Bundestag inquiry examines defence-ministry consultancy contracts. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/de-defence-consultants-inquiry-2019

https://factrail.ai/facts/de-defence-consultants-inquiry-2019

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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