“Democracy is not a business model. It is not a playground for disruption.”
By AFP
February 14, 2025
'It makes a difference when the leading democracy and world power says: we can do without rules,' Steinmeier said - Copyright APA/AFP
By AFP
February 14, 2025
'It makes a difference when the leading democracy and world power says: we can do without rules,' Steinmeier said - Copyright APA/AFP
Johann GRODER
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday said the Trump administration “has no regard for established rules” as he opened the Munich Security Conference.
“The new American administration has a very different world view to ours,” Steinmeier said. “One that has no regard for established rules, partnership and established trust.”
“We cannot change that. We have to accept that and we can deal with it,” he said in unusually strong language at the event where US Vice President JD Vance was also attending.
The German head of state urged European leaders to keep calm in the face of a blizzard of disruptive policy announcements from Washington since Trump returned to the White House.
“We must not allow ourselves to be paralysed by the flood of announcements,” he said.
“We must not freeze in fear, or as the English saying goes: Let’s not be a deer caught in the headlights.
“But I am convinced that it is not in the interests of the international community for this world view to become the dominant paradigm.
“A lack of rules must not become the model for a reorganisation of the world.”
Steinmeier added: “It makes a difference when the leading democracy and world power says: we can do without rules.
“That is why my appeal is: let’s stick to what helps us. Cooperation helps us. Partnerships and alliances are worthwhile.
“Democracy is not a business model. It is not a playground for disruption.”
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday said the Trump administration “has no regard for established rules” as he opened the Munich Security Conference.
“The new American administration has a very different world view to ours,” Steinmeier said. “One that has no regard for established rules, partnership and established trust.”
“We cannot change that. We have to accept that and we can deal with it,” he said in unusually strong language at the event where US Vice President JD Vance was also attending.
The German head of state urged European leaders to keep calm in the face of a blizzard of disruptive policy announcements from Washington since Trump returned to the White House.
“We must not allow ourselves to be paralysed by the flood of announcements,” he said.
“We must not freeze in fear, or as the English saying goes: Let’s not be a deer caught in the headlights.
“But I am convinced that it is not in the interests of the international community for this world view to become the dominant paradigm.
“A lack of rules must not become the model for a reorganisation of the world.”
Steinmeier added: “It makes a difference when the leading democracy and world power says: we can do without rules.
“That is why my appeal is: let’s stick to what helps us. Cooperation helps us. Partnerships and alliances are worthwhile.
“Democracy is not a business model. It is not a playground for disruption.”
Vance, Germany lock horns over far right
By AFP
February 14, 2025
'Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters,' said Vance - Copyright APA/AFP
By AFP
February 14, 2025
'Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters,' said Vance - Copyright APA/AFP
Johann GRODER
US Vice-President JD Vance Friday urged Germany’s mainstream political parties to drop resistance to cooperating with the far right, hours after Berlin rejected American “meddling” ahead of its election.
“Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters,” said Vance in a speech to the Munich Security Conference.
“There’s no room for firewalls,” he added, referring to the long-standing position of Germany’s established parties not to work with the far right.
Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition Christian Democrats and tipped as Germany’s next chancellor, was last month accused of breaching this taboo when the far-right Alternative for Germany backed a proposal he put forward to toughen up immigration law.
Earlier Friday, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit criticised similar comments that Vance had made in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Outsiders should not be “meddling in the internal affairs of a friendly country”, he said, adding they “may not have a full overview of the political debate” in Germany.
The comments come amidst a German election campaign that has been dominated by immigration and security.
There have been several high-profile attacks blamed on asylum seekers and migrants, prompting the AfD to further intensify its anti-migrant campaigns.
Most recently, an Afghan asylum seeker is suspected of having rammed a car into a crowd in Munich on Thursday, leaving 36 people wounded.
– A ‘stricter approach’ –
The AfD looks set for its best ever result of around 20 percent in the election on February 23, according to current polling.
Merz insists he would not govern with the AfD or actively seek its support.
Vance also told the Wall Street Journal that the threat to European democracy from online disinformation — including narratives pushed by Russia — had been overstated.
“If your democratic society can be taken down by $200,000 of social media ads, then you should think seriously about how strong your grip on or how strong your understanding of the will of the people actually is,” he said.
However Hebestreit insisted that disinformation was something that had to be “closely observed”.
“And when it goes against our laws, then we will act,” he said.
He added: “We here in Germany have a stricter approach to free speech than in the US, on account of our historical experience.”
He gave as an example Nazi ideology which, he said, “can be freely expressed there but which would be strictly forbidden here”.
US Vice-President JD Vance Friday urged Germany’s mainstream political parties to drop resistance to cooperating with the far right, hours after Berlin rejected American “meddling” ahead of its election.
“Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters,” said Vance in a speech to the Munich Security Conference.
“There’s no room for firewalls,” he added, referring to the long-standing position of Germany’s established parties not to work with the far right.
Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition Christian Democrats and tipped as Germany’s next chancellor, was last month accused of breaching this taboo when the far-right Alternative for Germany backed a proposal he put forward to toughen up immigration law.
Earlier Friday, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit criticised similar comments that Vance had made in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Outsiders should not be “meddling in the internal affairs of a friendly country”, he said, adding they “may not have a full overview of the political debate” in Germany.
The comments come amidst a German election campaign that has been dominated by immigration and security.
There have been several high-profile attacks blamed on asylum seekers and migrants, prompting the AfD to further intensify its anti-migrant campaigns.
Most recently, an Afghan asylum seeker is suspected of having rammed a car into a crowd in Munich on Thursday, leaving 36 people wounded.
– A ‘stricter approach’ –
The AfD looks set for its best ever result of around 20 percent in the election on February 23, according to current polling.
Merz insists he would not govern with the AfD or actively seek its support.
Vance also told the Wall Street Journal that the threat to European democracy from online disinformation — including narratives pushed by Russia — had been overstated.
“If your democratic society can be taken down by $200,000 of social media ads, then you should think seriously about how strong your grip on or how strong your understanding of the will of the people actually is,” he said.
However Hebestreit insisted that disinformation was something that had to be “closely observed”.
“And when it goes against our laws, then we will act,” he said.
He added: “We here in Germany have a stricter approach to free speech than in the US, on account of our historical experience.”
He gave as an example Nazi ideology which, he said, “can be freely expressed there but which would be strictly forbidden here”.
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