Date of case: May 2023

Patrick Graichen, appointed as State Secretary with the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, was dismissed by Minister Robert Habeck. Calls for his removal grew after an internal audit indicated that Mr. Graichen failed to disclose a potential conflict of interest and nepotism in the award of a climate project worth Euros 600,000 (around US$ 630,000) to the grassroots German environmental organisation, BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany, where his sister is a member of the board. Minister Habeck, said that according to internal ministry roles, Mr. Graichen should never have been presented with the proposal in the first place nor should he have signed it.

Patrick Graichen´s failure to disclose his affiliation came to light during the investigations following the so called Trauzeugen-Affaire. See case

On the 10 May 2023, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group brought the Trauzeugen-Affair case before parliament where Graichen and Habeck were questioned before the committees on economics and climate protection and energy. Minister Habeck announced that internal disciplinary proceedings would be initiated against the State Secretary. On 16 May 2023, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group announced their intent to call another hearing, which never took place because Graichen was granted a temporary retirement.