Former CDU politician Axel Fischer arrested in clinic!

Former CDU politician Axel Fischer arrested in clinic!

Amid the turbulent developments surrounding the Azerbaijan affair, Axel E. Fischer, the former CDU MP from Karlsruhe, was arrested in a clinic in Bad Säckingen on December 22, 2025. The arrest was made on a judge's order after Fischer repeatedly failed to appear in court. An arrest warrant had already been issued on Monday and the trial against him was originally scheduled to continue on Monday afternoon. Fischer was then taken to the Higher Regional Court in Munich after a new report confirmed his fitness to stand trial after he had previously been declared unfit to stand trial. This means that the legal processing of the Azerbaijan affair is becoming more intense.

The Azerbaijan affair itself has become more explosive in 2025. Fischer is accused of working for Azerbaijan in exchange for cash in 2011 and is said to have received a bribe of 21,800 euros in 2016. Transparency International looks at the slow pace of the process and criticizes Fischer for using delaying tactics. The trial began back in October 2025 after being separated in January 2025 due to health issues. The affair draws attention to the questionable practices of so-called “caviar diplomacy,” which aims to bribe parliamentarians in the Council of Europe to advance Azerbaijan’s political interests. This strategy has become an internationally important issue, especially in countries like Germany, where the criminal investigation of this corruption is not only limited to fishermen.

The shadows of caviar diplomacy

What exactly is behind this Azerbaijan affair? In recent years, reports of lobbying and corruption have repeatedly emerged. Many politicians from various European countries, not just Germany, were affected. Transparency Germany has been following this issue since 2019 and has filed criminal charges against several MPs, including Karin Strenz (CDU) and Eduard Lintner (CSU). Lintner was sentenced to nine months in prison on probation in July 2025 after he admitted the allegations and spoke of “completely normal lobbying”.

The Council of Europe's independent investigative committee has found that there are signs of corrupt actions by member states. Particularly affected are countries such as Italy and Belgium, where investigations have been closed either due to lack of evidence or due to statute of limitations. “However, Germany is an exception here,” says Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Jäckle from Transparency Germany. The case of Axel E. Fischer shows how serious the situation is in this country and highlights the questionable connections between politics and corruption.

An extensive network

The revelations surrounding the Azerbaijan affair point to a comprehensive lobby network that also includes German politicians. Members of the Bundestag traveled to Azerbaijan and were financially compensated for this. The background of these ties is often marked by gifts - expensive caviar, silk carpets and relatively large amounts of money were given to parliamentarians who defended Azerbaijan's interests in the Council of Europe. A report confirmed that between 30 and 40 MPs were invited to Azerbaijan annually. This system of influence is more than worrying in a democratic society.

The Azerbaijan affair is also an example of the failure of political reappraisal in Germany. Despite the massive allegations of corruption and the associated legal skirmishes, a clear line often remains unclear. According to Gerald Knaus from the European Stability Initiative, the overall processing is inadequate. “There is something going on,” some people will ask themselves when the shadow of this affair falls on the integrity of the political system in Germany.

We will continue to follow developments closely, because the Azerbaijan affair shows how deeply rooted corruption can be in political structures and what far-reaching consequences can result from this.