Mayor criticized: Harassment allegations - Palmer stops volunteering for the country

As an advisor, Boris Palmer was supposed to fight the bureaucracy in Baden-Württemberg. This is over for now. There are allegations of sexual harassment against him online. He rejects this.

Palmer initially wants to put his voluntary work on state modernization and administrative simplification on hold. Photo: Bernd Weißbrod/dpa

Tübingen. Due to allegations of sexual harassment, Tübingen's mayor Boris Palmer is resigning from his position as bureaucracy advisor to the Baden-Württemberg state government. The 54-year-old rejected the allegations in a statement. “The allegations are baseless,” Palmer wrote in a statement that was available to the German Press Agency. The “Bild” newspaper first reported.

The allegations against Palmer were made on Instagram on an account attributed to a former member of the Tübingen local council. The German Press Agency has not yet been able to contact the woman. Palmer writes in his statement that the accusation affects “his private life,” but he is more specific. “I will defend myself against this and consider legal action.”

Palmer further writes that he will suspend his voluntary work for state modernization and administrative simplification until the allegations are clarified. The State Ministry said that Prime Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) had asked Palmer to leave office.

A red flag in parts of the party

Palmer was a member of the state parliament at the beginning of his career and has been mayor of Tübingen town hall since 2007. He was once considered a possible successor to then Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) before he left the Greens in 2023 after several scandals. For many on the left wing of the Eco Party, he is seen as a red flag.

The non-party mayor is actually known for taking a clear position even on sensitive issues. Among other things, this has made him one of the most popular politicians in the country and a frequent talk show guest.

Palmer recently appeared open to returning to the Greens. Green Party leaders had also repeatedly sent signals of rapprochement. Özdemir had said a long time ago that he would like there to be a way for Palmer to return to the party. Former Prime Minister Kretschmann said: “It would be nice if he returned.”

Volunteer advisor in the rule jungle

Özdemir and Palmer are not only politically close, but also privately. Both have known each other for many years; Özdemir recently described Palmer as a family friend on the occasion of his wedding.

After the state elections, the 54-year-old was commissioned to fight bureaucracy in Baden-Württemberg as a volunteer consultant for the next two years. Palmer was not paid for this; he did his new job in addition to his office in town hall.