Heinen-Esser's resignation: Wüst claims to have only found out about the Mallorca celebrations a few days ago

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Hendrik Wüst, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia

Photo: IMAGO/Bernd Elmenthaler

North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst emphasized that he only recently learned about the controversial celebration of his resigned Environment Minister Ursula Heinen-Esser (CDU) in Mallorca.

“I found out about it in the last few days,” said Wüst in Cologne.

Heinen-Esser resigned on Thursday after it had previously become known that she had celebrated her husband's birthday with other members of the government in Mallorca a few days after the flood disaster in July 2021.

Greens in NRW have further questions

The Greens in the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament demanded answers from Prime Minister Wüst in the “Mallorca affair”.

The resignation of Heinen-Esser should not be "a diversionary tactic," said parliamentary group leader Verena Schäffer.

There are other unanswered questions.

"Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst must now urgently clarify his role." Wüst's previously "dull statements" on the case did not show leadership, criticized Schäffer.

more on the subject

• Resignation of Ursula Heinen-Esser: celebration on Mallorca, flood in the home of Lukas Eberle and Markus Böhm, Düsseldorf

• Party a few days after the flood disaster: NRW Environment Minister Heinen-Esser resigns after "Mallorca Gate".

• »Mallorca-Gate«: NRW ministers celebrated their birthday in Spain after the flood

The Greens politician also asked for NRW building minister Ina Scharrenbach (CDU) to explain the facts.

She had also attended the celebration.

Schäffer's parliamentary group, like the SPD parliamentary group, does not currently consider a special session of the state parliament to be necessary.

Wüst rejected the demands for further resignations.

»All other participants have expressed their regret about the false impression that this joint dinner can give.

I share that,” said Wüst at the appointment in Cologne.

In addition to Scharrenbach, Minister for Europe Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner and the then State Secretary and current member of the Bundestag Serap Güler (all CDU) also attended the birthday party for von Heinen-Esser's husband on Mallorca.

mfh/dpa