Belästigungsvorwürfe: Druck auf Palmer nach Vorwürfen wächst auch im Rathaus

Boris Palmer, Tübingen's incumbent mayor, faces mounting pressure from the city council following accusations of sexual harassment. Over half the council members have demanded that the mayor refrain from public appearances and preside over council meetings until unresolved issues are addressed. Palmer has previously announced his intention to avoid public engagements until the investigation is concluded.

However, this is not enough for the 22 council members representing AL/Grüne, SPD, Linken and Klimaliste parties. They stress the unique personal and political responsibility of the mayor and do not specify concrete demands. The common statement does not outline additional matters to be clarified beyond the investigation's scope.

The mayor denies the accusations on Instagram, where they were raised by an account linked to a former council member. Tübingen's prosecutor is investigating the initial suspicion of criminal behavior, presuming innocence until proven otherwise. The allegations extend beyond criminal prosecution to include the handling of his position of power and respect for personal boundaries.

The council members request that Palmer also avoid all public and other service activities that could impact his reputation. They also call for a fair treatment of all parties involved, emphasizing that a trivialization of the accusations is as unacceptable as a premature judgment. Palmer has not requested his resignation in the letter.

The city council has already asked him to limit his activities to official business, which he has agreed to. He will only attend council meetings if deemed necessary. He has also canceled a planned discussion with former "Welt" editor Ulf Poschardt titled "An Abend ohne Denkverbote". The CDU faction stresses that the decision was made in Palmer's own responsibility and they fully respect it.

The council insists they are not involved in the investigation and must not appear biased or prejudiced.