100,000 Euros Quickly for Photos in State Ministry - Baden-Württemberg’s photography spending soars to record €100,000 under Kretschmann
The Baden-Württemberg State Ministry, led by Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann, has seen a significant increase in photographic expenses in recent years. In 2024, the ministry spent approximately 19,925.87 euros on photography services, the highest amount in the state government's history.
From 2020 to September 2025, the ministry spent nearly €100,000 on photographic services. The costs have been rising sharply, with only €4,360 spent in 2020. A significant portion of these costs covers the documentation of events and official occasions, with the photographs used for online platforms, social media, press, and informational materials.
The increase in costs was partly due to rescheduled events and staffing shortages in the online communication department. However, the ministry's spending has not gone unnoticed. FDP politician Friedrich Haag criticized the spending, stating that the minister-president should scrutinize how taxpayer money is spent. He argued that vanity photos should not be a priority for Baden-Württemberg in times of tight budgets.
In 2025 alone, the ministry spent €18,936 on photography by the end of September, indicating a continued high level of expenditure. Despite the criticism, the ministry has not provided any indication that it plans to reduce its photographic expenses in the near future.
