Munich Security Conference: Election campaign controller combined against attacks by Trump-Vice

The Chancellor candidates of the SPD, Union and the Greens unanimously condemned the backing of the US Vice President JD Vance for the AfD as an inadmissible interference in the German election campaign. In his speech at the Munich Security Conference, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that from the ranks of the AfD, the monstrous crimes of the National Socialists had been downplayed as a “bird shit in German history”.

Scholz: “That doesn’t belong”

“That is why we will not accept it if outsiders intervene in our democracy, in our elections, in democratic opinion formation,” said the SPD candidate. “That doesn’t belong – certainly not among friends and allies and we definitely reject that.”

Merz: USA must respect the Bundestag election

Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz commented similarly. “We respect the presidential elections and the congress elections in the United States and expect the United States to do this here,” said the CDU leader in a panel discussion in Munich.

Habeck: US government on the “side of the autocrats”

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck considered the Vance speech as a “turning point” in the relationship between Europe and the USA. “The American government (…) has quasi-rhetorical-political to the side of the autocrats,” he said in an interview by the German Press Agency. “The western community of value has now been canceled here yesterday.”

Lindner, on the other hand, advises less reflexive answers

Only FDP boss Christian Lindner did not agree in the cross-party criticism-but advised more humility and less reflexive reactions. “I recommend that we check a certain humility whether we do not actually feel the freedom of expression of opinion by many people,” he said, among other things. “So maybe a little less reflexive answer is required in relation to a complicated friend USA, but a little more critical self -examination.”

Vance meets Weidel, but not Scholz

Vance had accused European allies on Friday a restriction of freedom of expression and a threat to democracy. Among other things, he criticized the exclusion of AfD and BSW at the security conference and generally turned against an exclusion of parties: “There is no place for fire walls.”

He used a central catchphrase from the Bundestag election campaign that stands for the exclusion of coalitions with the AfD. Since the Union has brought a paper on migration policy with the support of the party that was partially extremely right -wing by the constitutional protection, it has been discussing whether this fire wall is still on a fixed foundation.

After his speech, the US Vice President left the Bavarian court, where more than 50 heads of state and government and around 150 ministers have been meeting since Friday, and met AfD boss Alice Weidel in his hotel. On the other hand, an appointment with Scholz did not come about – for reasons of time, as it was said. Vance left Munich again on Friday evening.

Habeck to Vance: “Hold out there”

Habeck demanded that Europe must now react confidently. “We don’t have to tremble and shiver now. On the contrary. We have every reason to say: This is not the German Way of Life, this is not The European Way of Life, that’s not our Basic Law. Hold out.” What Vance said was “a reinterpretation of the truth, a reinterpretation of history, the history of democracy”.

The Vice Chancellor also expressed understanding of the decision of the conference management to rule out the AfD. “The AfD is in some cases an unconstitutional party. Here a lot of information is exchanged and discussed that affect the core area of ​​security,” he said on the grounds.

Conference director Christoph Heusgen, as in the previous year, excluded the security conference, as well as the fact that both parties did not correspond to the basic principle “Peace Through Dialogue, peace through dialogue” of the conference.

Selenskyj appeals to Europeans

The big crises of this world initially fell into the background through the Vance attack against European allies in Munich. Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, however, recalled the Russian invasion of Ukraine with his appearance, which marks the third time in a week.

In an urgent appeal, he called for unity and strength towards Russia. Specifically, he spoke out for common European armed forces and confirmed the demand for NATO membership: he would not take this from the negotiating table. “We need trust in ourselves so that others have no choice but to respect the strength of Europe.”

In his speech, Chancellor Scholz did not respond to considerations about a European peace force after a ceasefire. Instead, he took the view that the Ukrainian fights would have to be strengthened so that they are able to defend themselves. “At the end of every negotiating solution, Ukraine must have armed forces with which it can ward off any renewed Russian attack. Financially, materially and logistically, this becomes an enormous challenge,” said the SPD politician. The Europeans and transatlantic partners would be used for this.

Merz insists on the inclusion of Europe in peace negotiations

Merz insisted on the inclusion of Europe in these discussions. “It is absolutely unacceptable that Russia and the United States of America negotiate at the negotiating table without the Ukraine and without the Europeans,” he said. “Everything in our power” had to be done to bring the country into a good position for negotiations.

Merz is already presented as a “chancellor”

At the panel discussion with the Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen, EU Council President Antonio Costa and others, Merz was accidentally presented as “Chancellor” and received laughs in the audience. With a view to the Bundestag election, Merz replied in a week: “So first of all thank you for the compliment” – but between him and the Chancellery “there are still 60 million voters”.