German foreign minister under fire for declaring war

German foreign minister under fire for declaring war

At the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, Germany's Green foreign minister declared point blank that Germany is at war with Russia. His remarks caused general outrage, with many attacking the minister and inundating social media with protesting posts and video messages.

POLITICS JANUARY 29. 2023 13:52

It’s a well-known fact that foreign ministers are their country’s top diplomats, and the term „diplomatic” is usually used to describe a language that is particularly balanced and cautious. This, however, is far from the case when we think of the words uttered by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg a few

The Green Party minister said: “We are at war with Russia, not with each other.”

It did not take long for a major diplomatic scandal to erupt on the heels of Ms Baerbock’s ill-considered remarks. Besides Russia calling on Germany to clarify its position and role in the war in Ukraine, Germany’s foreign minister has also come under heavy fire at home. Germans were particularly outraged that Annalena Baerbock had essentially single-handedly decided that Germany was at war with Russia.

„You betrayed us, as well as your oath, and even the remnants of trust that we had,”

one user wrote on Twitter, accompanied by a mocking picture of Ukrainian President Zelensky forcing the world into World War III, saying „if you don’t fight with us, you are pro-Putin.”

Ms Baerbock’s incompetence is also evidenced by the fact that her statements needed extensive redaction by her own press office later, in order to dampen the diplomatic disaster caused by their boss. However, such desperate moves tend to backfire, because they preserve the image of Germany’s foreign minister talking nonsense publicly even longer.

„Anyone who wants war with Russia and millions of deaths as a result is a sh*t. This woman is stupid, warmongering and despises humanity. Why is she still free to walk around Germany?”

another Twitter user wrote.

Marcel Luthe, a former member of the Berlin Liberal Party, has in fact taken the matter to the courts and has already filed a criminal complaint.

Some others wrote that Ms Baerbock’s statement is „incomprehensible and dangerous, as well as completely incorrect and unnecessary. Either she is reckless, or her aim is to exacerbate any conflict. She should leave office,”a Twitter user said, responding to a post by leftist politician Sahra Wagenknecht, who wrote that „the foreign minister should be the top diplomat, not behave like an elephant in a china shop and trample on our country’s reputation.”

The right-wing opposition party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is also calling for the foreign minister’s resignation. Tino Chrupalla, leader of the AfD parliamentary group said that

„the federal foreign minister is endangering the very existence of Germany by her unprofessional and impudent behaviour. I call on the federal chancellor to use his powers of instruction to quickly and clearly communicate to the Russian government that Germany is not at war with Russia. Foreign minister Baerbock should be dismissed.”

@tino.chrupalla.afd ♬ Originalton – Tino Chrupalla

Outraged messages are also spreading like wildfire on the social platform TikTok. A German man has called for everyone who was outraged by Ms Baerbock’s behaviour to send a video message saying that Germany is not at war with Russia.

„We are not against Russia. We don’t want the f*cking missiles flying around here! We all have families, we all have only one life, and we can’t put our lives at risk because some psychopath top dogs are making decisions that we don’t want. They act only in their own interests, not our interests. That’s why I think we should all make a video and say that we don’t support this government at all, that we are against this government, because this government is just dumping sh*t on us and putting us all in danger. This is a dangerous game!”

the man said in the video. In another similar message, the author who posted the video asked

“Ms Baerbock, who’s we? Why can an incompetent politician drag us into a war with Russia? Ms Baerbock, do you want German cities to look like this?”

he asked, showing a photo of a block of buildings ruined by bombs.

@mr.vibes.official Die haben da wohl richtig Lust auf Krieg …. #deutschland #russland #mrvibes ♬ Spooky, quiet, scary atmosphere piano songs – Skittlegirl Sound

In yet another video, a user told the minister that it is not Germany, but the minister who is at war. „We don’t want war, don’t speak for us!” he called on FM Baerbock.

@tommy2712schunke.0 wir möchten keinen Krieg Frau Baerbock hör auf damit sie die NATO nicht damit rein #fy #fyp #fypシ #fypage #foryou #foryoupage #viral #videoviral #viralvideo #keinkrieg🕊 #🕊️🤜🤛🕊️ ♬ Der traurige Engel – Anne Terzibaschitsch

The man in the following video also reacted angrily to the Green Party foreign minister’s „declaration of war”.

@powermeinung1♬ Originalton – Powermeinung

The last time Ms Baerbock has managed to ruffle the feathers of those she owes her position to to such an extent was when she publicly stated that she did not care what German voters thought, because she made a promise to Ukraine and wanted to deliver on it for Ukraine. The federal minister delegated by the Greens may have forgotten for a while that it was the Germans, not the Ukrainians, who put her in charge of Germany’s foreign ministry. In light of all this, it would come as no surprise if Ms Baerbock were to stand for election in Ukraine next time, as there are signs that a growing number of Germans would support her in these efforts.

POLITICS

Tags:

foreign affairs, germany, russia, war