The Baden-Württemberg Minister of the Interior Thomas Strobl (CDU) has been criticized for investigating a "sex affair" in his ministry's leadership.

The opposition parties SPD, FDP and AfD accuse Strobl of having obstructed investigations by the public prosecutor on suspicion of breaching official secrets and having previously had a lawyer's letter from the ongoing proceedings to some journalists "pierced".

Rudiger Soldt

Political correspondent in Baden-Württemberg.

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On Wednesday, Strobl had to explain this in a non-public meeting of the state parliament's interior committee.

SPD and FDP demanded Strobl's resignation after he apparently confirmed at the meeting that the letter from his house had been passed on to the media.

SPD parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch describes the process as scandalous.

The FDP parliamentary group leader Hans-Ulrich Rülke said: "With the abysses that open up, this minister can no longer remain in office."

This was a "fundamental attack on the rule of law by the constitutional minister".

Either Strobl resigns or the FDP will request a committee of inquiry.

“Maximum enlightenment and maximum transparency”

Strobl rejected the request for resignation.

"A mistake was made in communication," admitted Strobl.

It was wrong not to say that the Interior Ministry itself released the letter from the policeman's lawyer to the press.

In the process, however, he is concerned with “maximum clarification and maximum transparency”.

It is questionable whether any secrets were revealed at all, it said.

According to Strobl, the opposition must decide whether to demand transparent action or castigate it.

"It's about nothing less than the integrity of the police and security authorities in Baden-Württemberg."

The “sex affair” began at the Ministry of the Interior at the end of last year.

At that time it became public that the inspector of the state police, Andreas R., is said to have sexually harassed a police officer in a video call.

The superintendent had recorded the insinuations.

It is possible that the two people had previously had consensual sexual contact.

Since November, the public prosecutor's office has been investigating suspected sexual harassment against the state police inspector, who has been suspended from service.

His lawyer is said to have lodged an objection to the leave of absence in the letter punctured to the media and rejected the allegations.

The accused is, together with the state police chief Stefanie Hinz, the highest-ranking police officer in the state.

The case also caused a stir within the Baden-Württemberg police because Hinz and the accused only initiated a value campaign against sexual harassment in the police force in 2021.

Under the slogan "Not with us", the approximately 24,000 officials should be prevented from sexist and racist behavior.

In addition, Strobl is also responsible for the personnel selection of the state police director and the state police chief.