In our globalized capitalist world nothing matters more than the economy, money and inertia takes care of everything, no matter which party you're from. You need a literal war at your door to slap some sense in them.
Probably a lot on the Merkel side that the public doesn't know. The people or groups who you don't think would ever be corrupt are some of the best to be corrupt in the first place.
https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-former-chancellor-gerhard-sch...
https://www.politico.eu/article/outrage-germany-ex-chancello...