The German Federal Ministry of Health, under the leadership of Minister Nina Warken (CDU), is currently working to mitigate the fallout from a series of emails sent by spokesperson Hanno Kautz, which sparked controversy and drawn criticism from opposition parties. The incident, first reported by T-Online, involves a threatened reward for information regarding alleged breaches of confidentiality agreements by journalists attending a background briefing.
In a subsequent email sent on Friday evening and detailed by T-Online on Monday, Kautz acknowledged his error, stating, “The email was a mistake that should not have happened with my experience as a journalist and as a spokesperson”. He further commented that the language and use of irony were inappropriate given the importance of trust and press freedom.
Prior to his acknowledgement, Kautz’s initial email on Wednesday expressed outrage over alleged violations of confidentiality agreements, even offering a form of bounty – exclusive information not distributed through an agency release – for leads identifying those responsible. He later characterized this initial approach as ironic in a subsequent communication. At the time, the Ministry declined to issue a formal statement regarding the matter.
The incident has drawn strong condemnation from health policy spokespersons within the opposition factions in the Bundestag. Ates Gürpinar of the Left party told T-Online that Kautz’s attempt to portray the events as “irony” demonstrates “a strange understanding of democracy” and suggests a tense environment within Minister Warken’s ministry.
Similarly, Janosch Dahmen of the Green party told T-Online that the communication was not merely a misstep but potentially a legally actionable interference with press freedom. He questioned whether Minister Warken’s name and office were being represented appropriately and advocated for clear consequences if this was the case, asserting that Kautz “definitely crossed a red line”.