List of international political sex scandals
Encyclopedia
For an entry to appear in this list, the sex scandal must involve an international politician
(i.e. not an American politician).
Each entry in the list usually begins with the name of the politician. The name is linked to 1) a separate Wikipedia article that describes the sex scandal in detail, or 2) the section that describes the sex scandal in the politician's Wikipedia biography article.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
(i.e. not an American politician).
Each entry in the list usually begins with the name of the politician. The name is linked to 1) a separate Wikipedia article that describes the sex scandal in detail, or 2) the section that describes the sex scandal in the politician's Wikipedia biography article.
2010–2011
- Moshe KatsavMoshe KatsavMoshe Katsav is an Israeli politician. He served as the eighth President of Israel, a leading Likud member of the Israeli Knesset, and a Cabinet Minister in its government....
, ex-President of IsraelPresident of IsraelThe President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
, was convicted on 30 December 2010 of two counts of rape, obstruction of justice and other charges. - Ahmad Sani Yerima, SenatorSenate of NigeriaThe Senate is the upper house of the National Assembly of Nigeria. It consists of 109 senators: the 36 states are divided in 3 senatorial districts each electing one senator; the Federal Capital Territory elects only one senator....
for Zamfara WestNigerian National Assembly delegation from ZamfaraThe Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Zamfara comprises three Senators representing Zamfara West, Zamfara Central, and Zamfara North, and seven Representatives representing Bakura/Maradun, Gummi/Bukkuyum, Bungudu/Maru, Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji, Tsafe/Gusau, Zurmi/Shinkafi, and...
, NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, is under investigation for a recent accusation of marrying a 13-year-old child bride from Egypt. (2011) As Governor of Zamfara StateZamfara StateZamfara State is a state in northwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Gusau and its Governor is Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari, a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party . Until 1996 the area was part of Sokoto State....
, NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, he was accused of marrying a 15-year-old child bride. (2006) - Dominique Strauss-KahnDominique Strauss-Kahn sexual assault caseNew York v. Strauss-Kahn was a criminal case relating to allegations of sexual assault and attempted rape made by a hotel maid, Nafissatou Diallo, against Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the Sofitel New York Hotel on May 14, 2011. The charges were dismissed at the request of the prosecution which pointed...
, a leading candidate for the French presidential election in 2012French presidential election, 2012The 2012 French presidential election is the next presidential election, to be held on 22 April and 6 May 2012, the latter being used for a run-off if necessary...
, resigned as head of the International Monetary FundInternational Monetary FundThe International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
(IMF) after he was charged with the sexual assault and attempted rape of a housekeeper at the Sofitel New York HotelSofitel New York HotelSofitel New York is a boutique hotel on West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, owned and managed by the Sofitel corporation. It lies about north of Bryant Park and New York Public Library and next to the New York Yacht Club. The hotel is inspired by French traditions in...
. (2011) - Silvio BerlusconiSilvio Berlusconi underage prostitution chargesSilvio Berlusconi, former Prime Minister of Italy, is accused of paying Moroccan nightclub dancer Karima El Mahroug – also known by the stage name Ruby Rubacuori – for sexual services between February and May 2010 when she was under the age of 18Although neither sex with persons between...
, the Prime Minister of ItalyPrime minister of ItalyThe Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
, was indicted on charges of paying for sex with a minorProstitution in ItalyIn Italy prostituzione is not illegal, but organized prostitution is prohibited. Brothels became illegal in 1959...
and abuse of office. The trial continues. (2011) - Jack de Vries, DutchNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
State SecretaryState Secretary (Netherlands)State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
for DefenceMinistry of Defence (Netherlands)The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
, resigned after admitting to an extramarital affair with his personal aide. (2010)
2000–2009
- Václav Klaus, President of the Czech RepublicPresident of the Czech RepublicThe President of the Czech Republic is the head of state of the Czech Republic. Unlike his counterparts in Austria and Hungary, who are generally considered figureheads, the Czech President has a considerable role in political affairs...
, allegedly involved in several extramarital affairs (1991, 2002, 2008) - Ramzan Kadyrov, Prime Minister of the Chechen RepublicChechnyaThe Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
(ChechnyaChechnyaThe Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
), Russia, allegedly appears in a sauna sex party video. (2006) - Jacob ZumaJacob Zuma rape trialJacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, the President of South Africa starting in 2009 and current president of the governing political party, the African National Congress , was charged with rape in the Johannesburg High Court on 6 December 2005. The accuser, Zuma's deceased friend's daughter, was known by...
, after serving as South Africa's Deputy PresidentDeputy President of South AfricaThe Deputy President of South Africa is the acting President of South Africa when the President is outside the country's borders, unable to fulfill the duties of the office, or when the Presidency is vacant. The Deputy President is also a member of the National Assembly and the Cabinet...
and before becoming South Africa's PresidentPresident of South AfricaThe President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
and President of the African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC) political party, was charged with rape. (2005-06) - Tommy SheridanSheridan v News InternationalSheridan v News Group Newspapers is a civil court case brought by Tommy Sheridan against the publishers of the News of the World, which began in the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 4 July 2006...
, member of the Scottish ParliamentScottish ParliamentThe Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, resigned as convener of the Scottish Socialist PartyScottish Socialist PartyThe Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
(SSP). The British tabloid newspaper News of the WorldNews of the WorldThe News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
ran a series of articles, alleging that he had committed adultery. (2004)
1960-1969
- Gerda MunsingerMunsinger AffairThe Munsinger Affair was Canada's first national political sex scandal. It focused on Gerda Munsinger, an alleged East German prostitute and Soviet spy living in Ottawa who had slept with a number of cabinet ministers in John Diefenbaker's government....
, an alleged East German prostitute and Soviet spy, slept with a number of Canadian cabinet ministers, most notably Minister of Trade and CommerceMinister of International Trade (Canada)The Minister of International Trade is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet is the head of the federal government's international trade department and the provisions of treaties such as the North American Free Trade Agreement .The post was first established in 1983 as the Minister...
George HeesGeorge HeesGeorge Harris Hees, PC, OC was a Canadian politician.Born in Toronto to a patrician family, Hees earned a playboy image during his youth , but then became a stalwart member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada...
and Associate Defence MinisterAssociate Minister of National Defence (Canada)The Associate Minister of National Defence is a member of the Canadian cabinet responsible for various files within the defence department as assigned by the Prime Minister or Defence Minister....
Pierre SévignyPierre SévignyJoseph Pierre Albert Sévigny, PC, OC, CD, VM, ED was a Canadian soldier, author, politician, and academic. He is best known for his involvement in the Munsinger Affair....
. (1966) - John ProfumoProfumo AffairThe Profumo Affair was a 1963 British political scandal named after John Profumo, Secretary of State for War. His affair with Christine Keeler, the reputed mistress of an alleged Russian spy, followed by lying in the House of Commons when he was questioned about it, forced the resignation of...
, British Secretary of State for WarSecretary of State for WarThe position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
, resigned for lying during testimony in the House of CommonsBritish House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
about his affair with the reputed mistress of an alleged Russian spy. (1963)
1950-1959
- Nils QuenselKejne affairThe Kejne affair was a political affair in Sweden in the 1950s.In 1948, Karl-Erik Kejne , a pastor of the town mission, publicly accused groups of gay men of threatening him and making attempts on his life...
, Swedish Minister without portfolio, was forced to resign for attempting to silence Karl-Erik Kejne, who accused Quensel of involvement with criminal gangs of gay men. (1951)
1930-1939
- King Gustaf V of SwedenHaijby affairThe Haijby affair was a political affair in Sweden in the 1950s, involving the conviction and imprisonment of Kurt Haijby for blackmail of King Gustaf V.- Background :...
allegedly had a secret homosexual relationship with Kurt Haijby, a Swedish commoner. Haijby was ultimately sentenced to hard labor on trumped-up charges of blackmailing the King. (1930s) - John Edward BrownleeJohn Brownlee sex scandalThe John Brownlee sex scandal occurred in 1934 in Alberta, Canada, and forced the resignation of the provincial Premier, John Edward Brownlee. Brownlee was accused of seducing Vivian MacMillan, a family friend and a secretary for Brownlee's attorney-general in 1930, when she was 18 years old, and...
, fifth Premier of AlbertaPremier of AlbertaThe Premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative leadership elections on...
, Canada, resigned after a court found him responsible for seducing Vivian MacMillan, a Brownlee family friend and clerk in the provincial Attorney-General's office. (1934)
See also
- List of federal political sex scandals in the United States
- List of state and local political sex scandals in the United States