People & Politics: More risk, more profit - Should bankers be liable for their losses? (22.01.2009) pp

Germany's banking system continues to be shaken by the global economic crisis. The government in Berlin has decided to use taxpayers' money to support financial institutions and prevent their bankruptcy. Many of the problems in the banking industry are due to trade in high-risk securities where banks hoped to reap enormous profits. Now prosecutors have launched investigations into these deals, and public opinion is calling for bank managers to face punishment. But Germany's criminal law allows little room for hard sanctions.