German Bundestag lifts immunity of SPD lawmaker amid corruption probe

Germany's Bundestag on Thursday lifted the immunity of Social Democrat (SPD) lawmaker Adis Ahmetovic amid a growing corruption investigation in the northern city of Hanover. 

The lower house of parliament voted to lift the 33-year-old's immunity in connection with the "authorization of judicial searches," according to a Bundestag document seen by dpa. 

No further details were immediately available on the specifics of the case. 

However, Ahmetovic is known to be one of three SPD politicians from Hanover under investigation. Media reports suggest the case involves the tender for a hospital site in Lehrte, near Hanover. 

A lawyer for Ahmetovic, the SPD's chairman in the city and the party's foreign policy spokesman in the Bundestag, previously said he has nothing to answer for. 

The probe was made public after Steffen Krach, the head of the Hanover regional administration, faced a police raid on September 9 - just days before the Berlin state election. The SPD ran Krach as its lead candidate there. 

The searches were carried out in connection with allegations Krach accepted benefits in tendering procedures. 

Prosecutors confirmed earlier this month that both Ahmetovic and Stefan Politze, the leader of the SPD parliamentary group in the Lower Saxony state parliament, were also under investigation. 

Politze subsequently announced his resignation from the party leadership. All three politicians have maintained their innocence.