Kukies, who was formerly co-head of Goldman Sachs in Germany, left the Wall Street firm a year ago to become deputy German finance minister.Kukies has since advocated a merger between Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank , which unions warn could mean up to 30,000 job cuts, people familiar with the matter say.
"It's a conflict of interest," Fabio De Masi, a prominent leftist lawmaker in the German parliament, said, pointing to the state's 15 percent stake in Commerzbank. Although confirmation of merger talks between Germany's two largest banks, following months of speculation, has boosted their share prices, it has also triggered opposition and concerns over the impact on employment.