Dispute over candidacy: Gelbhaar challenges Pankow - what's behind it?

Dispute over candidacy: Gelbhaar challenges Pankow - what's behind it?

Stefan Gelbhaar, former member of the Bundestag and long-time member of the Greens, has submitted his application to run directly for the 2026 House of Representatives election in Berlin. This happened during a candidate presentation for constituency 6 in Prenzlauer Berg, where he meets his party colleague Sunčica Klaas. This situation could lead to a fight candidacy within the Greens, as the constituency is considered safe for the party. The current incumbent Andreas Otto, who is considered Yellowhair's political foster father, has announced that he will not run again in 2026, which has an additional impact on the dynamics of the election campaign.

However, according to tagesspiegel.de, Gelbhaar's candidacy could also pose a burden for the party during the election campaign. There are concerns within the Greens that the potential long-term consequences of his history could jeopardize the party's public perception.

Controversial history

In December 2024, a wave of sexual harassment allegations against Gelbhaar emerged, resulting in a tumultuous year for the politician. He vehemently denied the allegations and filed a criminal complaint for defamation against unknown persons. However, investigations showed that some of the allegations were made by a Green district politician under a false identity, which led to the RBB's deletion of part of the reporting because the witness's identity had not been sufficiently verified. Tagesschau.de reports that the public prosecutor's office confirmed that there were no complaints against Gelbhaar.

While Gelbhaar was able to win compensation of 400,000 euros from the RBB in these disputes, not all allegations against him have been resolved. A special commission of the Greens also found that there were serious errors in the handling of the allegations. Some reports of women's negative experiences related to him are not punishable, but they are perceived as violating boundaries and raise questions about power and behavior.

An election campaign under pressure

The current tense situation could have a significant impact on Gelbhaar's ambitions to represent the Greens in the Berlin House of Representatives. The Pankow district association, which has to deal with his candidacy, has already proven in the past that it is capable of internal controversy. On January 8, 2026, Gelbhaar failed in the vote on direct candidacy against state representative Julia Schneider.

Meanwhile, the president of the Green Party, Shirin Kreße, who looked after Gelbhaar's concerns in her district, resigned from the party, which caused additional unrest. Their departures and critical voices in the election campaign mean that Gelbhaar not only has to deal with the memories of the allegations, but also with the pressure that conflicts within the party create. This turbulent history could not only influence his career, but also the public perception of the Greens as a whole.