Baden-Württemberg's interior minister wants to accept the money requirement

According to dpa information, the preliminary proceedings against the Baden-Württemberg Interior Minister Thomas Strobl in connection with the so-called letter affair are to be discontinued against payment of a monetary requirement of 15,000 euros. He intends to accept the public prosecutor's offer, the deputy head of government said on Thursday evening, according to the CDU parliamentary group. Strobl had passed on a letter from a lawyer to a journalist.

The 62-year-old had asked for the group meeting himself, according to group circles. He therefore wanted to announce the result of the investigations by the public prosecutor and to promote trust. Before the meeting, the parliamentary group said that nobody was interested in shaking the green-black coalition.

For weeks, the question on which the career of the 62-year-old is also dependent was open: What is the result of the public prosecutor's investigations against Strobl - hiring with a condition? Without condition? penal order? Accusation?

It is now clear: the proceedings against the minister will be discontinued, but against a payment of money. Strobl is to pay an amount of 15,000 euros. He doesn't have a criminal record. It is still unclear what the political consequences will be for the deputy head of government and head of the CDU state. The Presidium of the Southwest CDU should also meet on the matter by Friday at the latest.

The background to this is investigations by the public prosecutor's office against the highest-ranking police officer in the country, the police inspector. He is accused of sexual harassment. Strobl is also under pressure because he is said to have instigated a journalist to quote from the case files.

The opposition has been accusing the CDU politician of betraying secrets and violating data protection for months. The reporter is also under investigation. According to the newspaper, he declined the offer of hiring for a fee.

Strobl had repeatedly defended his actions in the past few months. He wanted to avoid any appearance of a "backroom deal" and therefore gave the letter to the journalist, so his argument. Because the lawyer made him a “poisoned offer” in which he wanted to clarify the allegations through official channels.

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