The rules of procedure of the German federal government state that its meetings are confidential. In 2018 the Federal Administrative Court ruled on a journalist’s request for the record of a cabinet meeting held on 29 August 2012. The court refused access to the record of the discussion, to protect the core area of the executive’s own responsibility. It ordered the government to release the list of the people who took part. What was said in the room stayed in the room. Who was in the room did not.