The corporate leaders in Germany are facing criticism following a police raid on one of the country's most respected CEOs. The raid on Klaus Zumwinkel, the CEO of Deutsche Post, for suspected tax evasion has further eroded the public's trust in the corporate system. This incident, along with previous scandals involving companies like Volkswagen and Siemens, has led to public outrage over high executive salaries and questionable practices. Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck has warned of potential political consequences and expressed concern over the impact on the country's economic and social system. The situation escalated on Friday when a newspaper reported that the investigation could expand to include hundreds of wealthy and influential Germans with offshore bank accounts. Post-World War II Germany is known for its strong economy and successful corporations, with many companies leading their industries globally. While executive salaries in Germany are lower than in the U.S. and UK, dissatisfaction is growing among citizens who feel they are not benefitting from the country's economic growth. Lower income individuals are seeing a decrease in disposable income, leading to media criticism of excessive executive pay. One example includes Juergen Schrempp, former CEO of Daimler, who received a substantial payout and stock options during the failed merger with Chrysler, resulting in losses for shareholders. The case of Zumwinkel reinforces the widespread belief that high-ranking individuals deceive and cheat the rest of society, according to an editorial in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung. This public outrage over unethical corporate leaders may result in a shift towards more left-wing policies, as seen in the growing support for the Left party. This trend has already influenced the ruling coalition to adopt more lenient welfare reforms. Klaus Schneider of the SdK shareholders' association stated that the negative image of avaricious executives contributes to a sense of social injustice, further benefiting the Left party. Oskar Lafontaine, the former German finance minister and co-leader of the Left party, is advocating for an increase in public spending on pensions, welfare benefits, and education. Transparency International, a corruption watchdog, has stated that there is no concrete evidence to suggest that corruption is on the rise in Germany. However, Peter von Blomberg, the deputy head of Transparency International Germany, noted that there has been a shift in public perception towards the importance of tackling corruption in the past decade or so. He also highlighted the need for German companies to implement compliance guidelines, protect whistleblowers, and follow the example of Scandinavian countries in promoting transparency and communication between citizens and authorities. He stated that in Germany, there is still a strong aversion towards accusing individuals, which has historical roots. However, he believes that there may be a conversation about implementing legal protections for whistleblowers in the country.