"Struggling to move forward without leaving anyone behind" Greens end investigation against Gelbhaar
Yellow hair process halts by Green: a halting of the procedure
A commission, working on the case of Stefan Gelbhaar for six long months, has failed to reach a resolution. The Greens have decided to end the investigation and publish a report detailing their findings. The conclusion: mistakes were made, and new structures are necessary.
Stefan Gelbhaar, a former member of the Greens, was embroiled in the #MeToo movement after allegations of inappropriate behavior were made against him. Despite these accusations, he was not charged criminally due to fabricated claims.
"We let expectations down"
The Greens recognize that the process has been unsatisfactory for all involved. Party chairwoman Franziska Brantner stated, "Many would have liked the report sooner, and these past months have been challenging for everyone. However, we took the time this complex case required."
The case's complexity includes the fact that the ombuds office, a resource for confidential, inner-party conflict resolution, had already been subject to political manipulation before its involvement. When district politician Shirin Kreße claimed that several women had reported sexual harassment by Gelbhaar, the meeting chair inappropriately referred them to the ombuds office of the federal party, giving the impression that their reports could influence list allocations.
"Seeing Gelbhaar as a victim is premature"
The organization failed to meet its responsibilities to all parties involved, the report from the federal board explains. It was "structurally overwhelmed" in this case, where many factors came together – time pressure before the federal election, false media reporting, lack of confidentiality in the process. The Greens emphasize that both Stefan Gelbhaar and those who made reports were victims, and initially, there was a lack of trust given to their accounts after the exposure of a falsified report.
No "definitive or final clarification"
The Greens cannot determine whether Stefan Gelbhaar's Bundestag candidacy was unjustly taken away. The report states, "We cannot and do not want to meet the desire for a clear and final clarification in the sense of rehabilitation or sanctions."
Future organizational structures will aim to address the challenges of boundary violations and foster a culture of appreciation and respect for others within the party. A working group will develop these new structures, taking into account rule of law, democratic legitimacy, and feminist considerations.
The Greens acknowledge the increased barriers for reporting and discussing boundary violations identified during this process, causing not only harm to those involved in the investigation but also harm to the cause of appropriate handling of these issues in general.
This text was first published in "Stern"
- Alliance 90/The Greens
- Sexual Harassment
Enrichment Data:
A party addressing boundary violations might focus on establishing clear policies, providing training and education, implementing an independent investigation process, offering support for victims, ensuring accountability and consequences, and fostering a culture of open communication. In this specific case, the parties acknowledge that they allowed the ombuds office to become a target of political manipulation, causing harm to those involved and the process as a whole.
The Greens, in their community and employment policies, acknowledge the need for new structures to address boundary violations, foster a culture of appreciation and respect, and ensure a fair investigation process. The complexity of the Stefan Gelbhaar case, involving politics, general-news, and the manipulation of the ombuds office, is a lesson in the importance of maintaining democratic legitimacy and upholding feminist considerations in party practices.
