How social media comments ruined a German politician's career

Bernd Vogel, a veteran politician and former teacher, was at the centre of a scandal that ended his attempt to run in the upcoming federal elections. Despite previous campaigns with larger parties such as the Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP) and Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), this time he represented the small conservative party Bündnis Deutschland.

Vogel was going to run for election in February 2025, but his plans collapsed on 6 January when the public drew attention to his explicit comments on platform X (formerly Twitter). The politician regularly posted comments on the pages of adult content makers and apparently did not realise that his actions were public.

Vogel left explicitly lewd comments related to the appearance of OnlyFans models. Screenshots of his posts quickly spread online, and he hurriedly deleted some of them. To make matters worse, his profile at the time of the scandal mentioned his party affiliation, which was a further blow to the reputation of Bündnis Deutschland.

The party's reaction was immediate. The Regional Council of Lower Saxony issued a statement condemning Vogel's behaviour and stressing that such actions contradict the party's core values. The leaders demanded a public apology and a withdrawal from the election.

Vogel promptly complied, publishing a post apologising: "I apologise for the silly posts. I am withdrawing my candidacy and will not run on any ballot. Sorry!"

The statement was welcomed by the party leadership. Party spokesman Dorendorf said, "We appreciate that you have clarified and accepted the consequences. Everyone makes mistakes, but what matters is how one deals with them."

This case was a reminder that the digital behaviour of politicians can not only undermine personal reputations, but also affect the public perception of the entire political organisation. This is particularly important in the case of smaller parties that are fighting for every vote of confidence.