MeToo allegations are being examined
Green MEP resigns
March 1, 2024, 7:08 p.m
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Malte Gallée is followed by 50,000 people on Tiktok. The Green politician is the youngest member of the EU Parliament. Now he is giving up his mandate. Since 2022, numerous women have accused him of sexual harassment. He himself protests his innocence.
The youngest German MEP, Malte Gallée, is resigning from his mandate. The 30-year-old Green politician said that he had informed the parliamentary group leadership about this step. “It is difficult for me to resign as an MP and I regret that I will no longer be a member of the European Parliament.”
Gallée wrote in one personal statement, “that there have been rumors about me for some time.” That’s why he himself asked the Green Party’s ombudsman in the European Parliament to investigate this in the summer of 2022. The politician does not want to say exactly what the rumors are about. He said: “I am convinced that I did nothing wrong.” From the beginning, he insisted that all rumors be investigated.
Report: Women complain about harassment and bullying
According to research by “Stern”, a number of party employees in Brussels have accused Gallée of sexually harassing them since the summer of 2022. Since then, according to information from the magazine, several complaints have been received by ombudspersons from the Green group in the European Parliament. The allegations initially concerned cross-border behavior, unwanted touching, uninvited entry into offices, but also bullying. In addition, more than a dozen women reported to the magazine about cross-border behavior, bullying and sexual harassment by Malte Gallée.
The party leadership in Brussels is said to have known about this for some time – without any consequences. According to “Stern”, affected women accused the parliamentary group leadership around Terry Reintke of not taking their complaints seriously. They were also put under pressure.
Gallée said he wanted to be able to fully concentrate on possible ombudsman proceedings in the coming weeks and months. Neither Gallée nor the European Greens or the Bavarian regional association wanted to comment on whether there are currently ongoing proceedings.
The faction leadership is keeping a low profile
The Green group in the European Parliament also did not want to comment when asked. A spokeswoman said only in general terms: “The Greens/EFA group attaches great importance to a climate of safety and zero tolerance for harassment and inappropriate behavior.”
The Green politician from Bavaria replaced Sven Giegold in the European Parliament at the beginning of 2022, who moved to the Federal Ministry of Economics as State Secretary. Gallée is followed by more than 50,000 people on Tiktok, so he reaches many young people.
Since 1999, the Greens have formed a joint parliamentary group together with the European Free Alliance (EFA), in which regional parties have joined forces. The co-leader of the Green Party in the European Parliament, Reintke, and the head of the German Green group, Rasmus Andresen, did not initially comment when asked.