Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned US Vice President JD Vance for voicing support for the far-right AfD party, affirming that Germany will not tolerate external interference in its elections. This response followed Vance’s controversial speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he critiqued European governments and accused them of abandoning democratic values. Vance’s meeting with AfD leaders was also criticized as a breach of diplomatic norms.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed strong disapproval of US Vice President JD Vance’s support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party during the Munich Security Conference. Scholz emphasized that Germany would not tolerate interference from outsiders in its democratic processes, asserting, “We will determine our democracy’s future ourselves.” This statement followed Vance’s controversial remarks criticizing European governments and suggesting they were abandoning fundamental democratic values.
In his speech, Vance claimed that Europe’s greatest threats were internal rather than from outside forces like Russia or China. He accused European institutions of curtailing social media freedoms and alleged that European courts had unjustly invalidated election results. Vance’s appearance with AfD Co-Chair Alice Weidel further raised eyebrows, particularly due to the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for February 23.
The conference organizers had deliberately not invited Weidel because of the AfD’s extremist positions, and Vance’s comments about the German government’s refusal to engage with the AfD executed a significant breach of diplomatic decorum. Many attendees were reportedly taken aback by Vance’s stance against what he deemed a “firewall” approach by mainstream German political parties towards the AfD.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz firmly rejected any outsider interference in Germany’s democratic elections following US Vice President JD Vance’s criticism of the country’s treatment of the AfD party. Scholz’s remarks highlight Germany’s commitment to safeguarding its democratic integrity and emphasize the importance of self-determination in political matters. The incident underscores growing tensions around the influence of foreign politicians in domestic electoral processes.
Original Source: www.aa.com.tr
