Cancels public appearances amidst denial of accusations against him
Caroline Bosbach, a member of parliament for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has spoken out for the first time since allegations of misconduct were made public. In a statement, Bosbach emphatically rejected the "fabricated and manipulated" claims against her, and expressed her support for an independent review by the public prosecutor's office.
The allegations concern the acceptance of 2,500 euros in the election campaign for the position of MIT district chair in 2023, and claims of offering cash payments and free hospitality to secure votes. Bosbach vehemently denies these accusations, asserting that she did not receive any illicit benefit and that no damage was caused to the CDU Rhein-Berg.
In a letter to the CDU Rhein-Berg executive board, Bosbach stated that she has not enriched herself and the CDU Rhein-Berg has suffered no damage. She also precautionarily transferred 2,500 euros to the CDU after the fabricated allegations were made public.
Bosbach has provided the public prosecutor's office with a detailed statement of facts and offered to answer any questions personally. She has also asked the citizens to describe the facts as she has here and to trust in the independent review.
The controversy dates back to Bosbach's 2023 election to the district board of the Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion (MIT) in Rheinisch-Berg, where reports claim she allegedly offered cash payments (around 90–100 euros) and free hospitality to secure votes. However, Bosbach repeats her earlier statements from her lawyers, asserting that no false invoice was submitted, as claimed by the now-dismissed apprentice.
The current status of the allegations against Bosbach involves ongoing internal party investigations and discussions. The CDU district board in Rheinisch-Berg initially set an ultimatum for her to clarify questions related to a cash payment scandal by August 8, 2025. However, shortly before the deadline, the CDU district board postponed their planned meeting to assess her explanations and instead arranged a private face-to-face meeting with Bosbach to discuss the open questions and decide on further steps. The date of the rescheduled board meeting remains undetermined.
Bosbach has asked for patience and trust in the independent review by the public prosecutor's office, and vows to address the public directly and without detours, assuring that they can rely on her. She has also decided to refrain from making any public appearances in the local election campaign for the time being.
In a video on Instagram and Facebook, Bosbach emphasized that all allegations are false, and assured the public that she will continue to cooperate fully with the investigations. She ends her statement with her best regards.
Sources:
[1] Rheinische Post
[3] Deutschlandfunk
[4] Focus Online
[5] SWR
Bosbach's situation has escalated into a complex conundrum of politics and general-news, as she faces allegations of misconduct in her MIT district chair election campaign of 2023. The accusations imply offers of cash payments and free hospitality to secure votes, which Bosbach emphatically denies. Following the public release of these claims, she has provided the public prosecutor's office with a detailed statement and agreed to answer any questions personally, while asking for patience and trust in the independent review.
