Summary

Matthias Hundt, Berlin's State Secretary for Digitalization, is stepping down after just over two months in office. Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) granted his discharge. Hundt switched from Dresden to Berlin in mid-March 2026 and was supposed to drive forward the digitalization of the administration. The Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office has been investigating him since November 2025 in connection with the insolvency of his consulting company SDC Sachsen Digital Consulting GmbH. Hundt cites an unbearable media campaign and burden on his family as reasons for his resignation.

Persons

Topics

  • Personnel changes in the Berlin Senate Chancellery
  • Digitalization of public administration
  • Insolvency investigations against public officials
  • Coalition criticism and election campaign dynamics in Berlin

Clarus Lead

The personnel debacle hits Wegner particularly hard in an election year: a state secretary who resigns after two months is an extreme rarity and significantly damages the credibility of the head of government. The digitalization reform was one of the few flagship projects of Wegner himself – now the initiative threatens to fail without continuity in leadership. Parallel to the power outage crisis and the cultural senator's resignation in April, an image emerges of an administration under pressure that struggles with personnel selection and crisis communication.

Detailed Summary

Hundt was only appointed Chief Digital Officer in mid-March and succeeded Martina Klement, who moved to the Brandenburg state government. The responsibilities included e-government, IT security, critical infrastructure, as well as digitalization of administrative services and the electronic file system. When announcing Hundt's appointment, Wegner emphasized that he would move the administration "forward."

However, it became known in parallel to Hundt's taking office that the Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office had been investigating him since November 2025. The reason: the insolvency of his consulting company SDC Sachsen Digital Consulting GmbH with suspicion of various insolvency crimes. Hundt's lawyer stated that his client had reached an agreement with all parties involved and "had done nothing wrong."

Opposition criticism was severe: SPD state leader Steffen Krach accused Wegner of being overwhelmed by his office. Green party group leader Bettina Jarasch warned of failure in administrative modernization as "a great opportunity for Berlin." The Left described the resignation as consequential, the AfD spoke of "personnel failure." In April, Culture Senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson had also resigned following a subsidies scandal.

Key Statements

  • Matthias Hundt resigns after two months as Berlin's digital state secretary; the Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating him for insolvency crimes at his former consulting firm
  • The personnel debacle significantly damages Kai Wegner's credibility in an election year, as digitalization is his flagship project
  • Opposition and coalition partners criticize Wegner's personnel selection and leadership performance in light of repeated crises (power outage in January, culture senator resignation in April, now Hundt)

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence/Source Validity: What specific charges does the Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office bring against Hundt, and on what factual basis? The authority names "various insolvency crimes" without details – are these publicly documented?

  2. Conflicts of Interest/Independence: Was Hundt's suitability for office reviewed before his appointment, despite investigations already underway since November 2025? When did Wegner learn of the investigations?

  3. Causality/Alternatives: Is the "media campaign" that Hundt cites the cause or the symptom? Would transparent handling of the investigations at the time of taking office have prevented the resignation?

  4. Feasibility/Risks: How will the digitalization reform continue without stable leadership? Who takes over as acting head, and for what duration?

  5. Data Quality: The insolvency dates to November 2025, Hundt's taking office to March 2026 – a 4-month gap. Who was informed about the investigations during this time?

  6. Follow-up Risks: Does the personnel debacle damage the digitalization agenda permanently, or is the resignation a fresh start with different personnel?

Sources

Primary Source:
Personnel: State Secretary for Digitalization Requests Discharge – Süddeutsche Zeitung/dpa, 26.05.2026
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/leben/personalie-staatssekretaer-fuer-digitalisierung-bittet-um-entlassung-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-260526-930-131653

Verification Status: ✓ 26.05.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model.
Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 26.05.2026