A former FDP member of the Bundestag must go to prison for almost three years. The Verden Regional Court sentenced Hartmut Ebbing to a prison term of two years and ten months for the sexual abuse of children. The conviction concerns a politician who sat in the Bundestag for the FDP from 2009 to 2013. In addition to Ebbing, a teacher from Lower Saxony was also convicted, who was jointly charged with him. The court withheld the exact details of the acts and the identity of the co-defendant for reasons of victim protection. For the FDP, the verdict means another burden. The party must once again come to terms with the past of one of its former officeholders. Ebbing was a member of the Committee on Family, Seniors, Women, and Youth during his term in office—a circumstance that makes the conviction particularly bitter. The sentence was comparatively high. Two years and ten months in prison are well above the minimum penalty for such offenses. The court apparently saw no mitigating circumstances that would justify a lesser sentence.
For the victims, the verdict means a belated satisfaction. The trial took place behind closed doors to protect those affected. Such proceedings pose a particular challenge for the judiciary because it must balance witness protection and fair trials.
The conviction is final unless an appeal is filed. Ebbing will likely have to serve the sentence unless his defense attorney files an appeal. For the FDP, the question remains of how to deal with such cases in its own past.
Political parties repeatedly face the task of coping with burdened former members. The FDP already expelled Ebbing after the allegations became known. The current verdict now confirms that this step was correct.
The conviction of a former MP demonstrates that even those who once held political responsibility are not protected from the law. The judiciary handles such cases with the necessary severity – regardless of previous offices or positions.
