Green Party Politician Demands €1.7 Million from RBB Over False Reporting

Stefan Gelbhaar accuses the broadcaster of damaging his political career with unverified claims of misconduct, now proven partly fabricated.

Stefan Gelbhaar, a Green Party politician, is seeking €1.7 million in damages from RBB for false reporting on sexual misconduct allegations that derailed his Bundestag candidacy.
The demand includes €500,000 for reputational harm and the remainder for lost income as a Bundestag member, which he claims he would have secured if not for the reporting.
RBB has admitted to serious journalistic errors, including relying on fabricated testimony from a non-existent source, and has retracted parts of its coverage.
Gelbhaar lost his spot on the Green Party's candidate list and his direct candidacy for Berlin-Pankow, following the allegations, which he has consistently denied.
An external investigation into RBB's handling of the case is ongoing, with results expected in early March, but Gelbhaar has rejected the broadcaster's apology as premature.