Berlin's mayor and CDU senator are said to be a couple

The private sphere is private - normally. However, there are exceptions. The Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, is in need of an explanation. He is reportedly having an affair with the Berlin Senator for Education, Katharina Günther-Wünsch.

As a rule, the media in Germany only report on the love lives of politicians when they themselves make their relationships a topic of discussion. Although this taboo has been crumbling for some time now, the private sphere is generally not political. But there are exceptions to every rule. After the "Bild" newspaper reported on Wednesday that the mayor of Berlin's heart "obviously" beats for the Berlin school senator, other media followed suit: the evening show of local broadcaster RBB, for example, or the Berlin "Tagesspiegel " - the latter with the comment that it had been talking about the topic "for several weeks with numerous Christian Democrats who know about the liaison".

Some of these Christian Democrats told the newspaper that Kai Wegner and Katharina Günther-Wünsch had been a couple since at least May 2023. Wegner became Governing Mayor of Berlin in April, while Günther-Wünsch was also sworn in as Senator for Education, Youth and Family in April.

Several media outlets have also reported on a parliamentary question from Antonin Brousek, a member of the Berlin House of Representatives and part of the AfD parliamentary group until summer 2023, since when he has been non-attached. He wants to know from the Senate: "Does the Governing Mayor of Berlin have a sexual relationship with another member of the Senate, i.e. a person whose professional position is solely dependent on him? In particular with the Senator for Education, Youth and Family? If so, since when?" The question is one of several that Brousek submitted on January 3.

The list of questions is getting longer and longer

In another question submitted to ntv, Brousek refers to the Berlin law on the legal relationships of members of the Senate, which states: "The members of the Senate must refrain from all official acts that would give themselves or persons in whose favor they have the right to refuse to testify in criminal proceedings due to family law relationships an advantage." The MP wants to know: "Does the Senate consider this regulation to be sufficient to prevent nepotism?" The background to the question is that this rule does not apply to couples who are not married. Brousek submitted the second question, which comprises a total of 17 questions, on January 3, as he told ntv.

Parliamentary questions are submitted to the Presidium of the House of Representatives and then usually processed immediately - in practice it usually takes a day, according to parliament. The Senate has three weeks to respond, after which it is first sent to the member of parliament asking the question and then published five days later.

The Senate Chancellery had not received the question on Thursday morning, as a Senate spokesperson told ntv. The spokesperson referred to a press release issued by the state of Berlin on Tuesday, which states that Wegner will be represented by lawyer Christian Schertz "from January 2, 2024" in all "matters relating to his privacy" - media inquiries should also be directed to him. When asked by the Tagesspiegel, Schertz replied that he saw no reason to comment on rumors about the mayor's privacy. Even politicians do not have to accept reporting on "such speculation, especially as my client's family must also be protected here".

"This is not private at all"

However, it is questionable whether private life is so private in this case. In principle, a relationship in the workplace is not a problem in Germany. However, strict compliance rules apply in many companies. Communications consultant and former government spokesperson Bela Anda told Die Welt about the reports of Wegner's new relationship: "This is not private at all." Media lawyers are bad advisors in communication matters. Anda does not expect Wegner to stumble over this. But Günther-Wünsch "could of course be forced to resign, which would be a shame".

At the same time, Anda advised both Wegner and Günther-Wünsch to be transparent. Every day that the story drags on makes the situation more precarious: "That's why we would be well advised to clear the air quickly now and then carry on with business as usual." Everything should be discussed openly with each other quickly, "both are professionals in politics, have been involved for a long time, both have to face the public in this matter, as painful as that can be for everyone involved".

The aspect of a couple working together in a state government is reminiscent of the case of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his wife Britta Ernst. When Scholz was elected First Mayor of Hamburg in 2011, Ernst left politics in the Hanseatic city. She later became Minister of Education in Schleswig-Holstein, then in Brandenburg.

Wegner only announced his separation from his former partner Kathleen Kantar at the end of December. The two would "remain friends", it was said at the time. "Their love and care is for their two children".