German FM under fire for ‘war with Russia’ comment
Opposition politicians say Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is unfit for her job | German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has faced waves of criticism after saying at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that Germany is at war with Russia. The comment led opposition politicians to question whether she is fit for the job. 💬 “A statement by Baerbock that Germany is at war with Russia shows that she is not suited for her job,” MP Sahra Wagenknecht, the former head of the Left Party in the Bundestag, tweeted on Friday. A foreign minister should be a “top diplomat” and “not act like an elephant in a China shop,” she added, accusing Baerbock of “trampling” on Germany’s reputation. ● During the debate on Tuesday, Baerbock said European nations are “fighting a war against Russia” and must do more to defend Ukraine. 💬 Germany needs a foreign minister who is capable of acting “as a responsible diplomat and not a firebrand” amid the conflict in Europe, said Alice Weidel, the co-chair of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Bundestag, adding that a foreign minister should represent Germany’s interests exclusively.