The control committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday said Berset was justified in using an official car to return from a private visit to Germany and that the hotel expenses were paid by himself.
The committees also cleared the judiciary and police of allegations that they violated due process of the law because of Berset’s status and that they used disproportionate means against the citizen.
The allegations were first reported by the Weltwoche weekly in 2020, saying an unidentified woman had been fined for threatening to make public letters and photographs unless Berset paid CHF100,000 ($100,680).
The blackmail attempt happened in November 2019 and the fine was handed out in September 2020 after Berset issued a criminal complaint against his alleged former lover.
Several parliamentary sub-committees had been investigating the claims since last October.
Berset, whose portfolio includes health matters, has been the dominant figure in the Swiss government during the Covid pandemic but critics, mainly on the political right, have accused him of “dictatorial attitudes”.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Parliament to probe Swiss interior minister blackmail affair
This content was published on
Parliamentarians will examine the role of the police and judiciary in prosecuting a woman for attempting to blackmail the Swiss interior minister.
Inquiry to look at possible leak of documents in Berset blackmail case
This content was published on
After more details of a case involving the Interior Minister were revealed in the press, a special prosecutor is to investigate if official documents were leaked.
Attempt to blackmail Swiss interior minister under investigation
This content was published on
A woman who tried to blackmail Swiss Interior Minister Alain Berset last year has been fined after retracting her claims against him, it has emerged.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.