Baerbok appears to be under pressure following the departure of the green-clad leader
Certainly, here's a paraphrased version of the text:
Some interrogations on television should be postponed. For instance, the one that Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock is scheduled to attend tonight on Maischberger. The Green Party representative seems tense as she discusses the turmoil at the top of her party and paints a picture of the future under Habeck.
Fortunately, she's currently in New York: Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens. On Wednesday morning, the two Green Party co-chairs, Ricarda Lang and Omid Nouripour, surprisingly announced that they would take action due to the poor election results in East Germany and resign. The entire board followed suit. Consequently, a new board must be elected during the party conference in November. According to publicist Wolfram Weimer, Economics Minister Robert Habeck is believed to be behind the scenes.
This is an unusual scenario: A party board taking responsibility for poor election results. And what about the FDP? After all, they've lost in all state elections since the beginning of the traffic light government, and in the European elections as well. In East Germany, they didn't even reach one percent in two federal states. But party leader Christian Lindner exudes confidence, as evident in his ministerial hearing in the Bundestag this morning. However, Weimer, a journalist analyzing the current situation on Maischberger, believes that changes may be imminent for the liberals as well.
Habeck's Strategy: Green Youth Quits
The executive committee of the Green Youth apparently couldn't wait any longer. During the Maischberger show, a breaking news alert appears: The executive committee of the youth organization of the Greens is resigning. They also plan to leave the party en masse. Have the young Greens already figured out which direction the party with its chancellor candidate Habeck will take in the coming months?
Annalena Baerbock should know. But the Federal Foreign Minister has other concerns. She's currently in New York, at the United Nations. There, she learned about the resignation of the two Green Party co-chairs early in the morning. On Maischberger, she praises "our two party chairs, to whom I have the greatest respect, not only politically, but also personally. There are few who have the courage to take such a step." Self-reflection and self-criticism may be out of fashion these days. But it is a particularly admirable quality to always reflect on oneself, Baerbock agrees.
The question is: "Why can we not win the trust of the people in these times, when it is obviously about fundamental questions, although we could still do so a year and a half ago?" The party chairs have thought about this, and they have come to the decision that the Greens must reinvent themselves for the federal elections next year. Robert Habeck is the right top candidate. He has the ability to differentiate, because the world is not black and white. "That's what we need in these challenging times."
The War in Ukraine
Annalena Baerbock appears anxious tonight, often unfocused. She constructs lengthy sentences. She doesn't answer questions or often evades them, making it hard to decipher her intentions. She's not having her best day. Moderator Maischberger demonstrates her skills tonight. She gives her interviewee plenty of room, doesn't interrupt Baerbock, tries to compensate for the politician's weaknesses.
Clearly: The peace plan that Ukrainian President Selenskyj will present to US President Joe Biden in a few hours is not known to Baerbock. However, she pledges: Germany will support Ukraine - within its capabilities. And that means: Yes to more weapon deliveries, but the ban on using them against civilian targets in Russia remains.
She may not fully agree with this decision by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The Green politician states: "If this decision cannot be made by Germany in the interests of Ukraine, other countries will make other decisions. And that's the strength of our support, that other countries also provide other support. That's how it is in democracies, and that's how it is in a strong alliance, an alliance of those who stand for peace, that everyone gives the support they can." Ukraine needs more defense options.
The world is for peace talks, Russia is not
Nevertheless, now is the time for peace talks, Baerbock declares, having made this clear in the UN Security Council, even to the Russians. "And at the same time: If the Russian President continues to answer every peace proposal we've made in the last two and a half years with more violence, if we as the international community have to do everything to better protect the people in Ukraine, because two-thirds of its energy supply is now destroyed, and even the air defense we've provided couldn't stop all this destructive fury, if the world wants one less war, which is what everyone is waiting for, then the full support for Ukraine is needed." The nations of the world must continue to stand up for Ukraine's sovereignty. Because Russia is not only attacking Ukraine, but also the Charter of the United Nations. It states that all countries are equal and that no country has the right to determine the future of another. If there are peace talks, it will be up to Ukraine alone to decide its future.
It's evident to Baerbock that peace talks are necessary. She's undecided about when they should occur, but suggests it might be soon. There's a chance it could happen before the American elections. The foundation for this was set at the recent peace summit in Switzerland. The one person who seems hesitant about negotiation is the Russian President. So far, his response to peace talks has been to intensify military actions. Whether Baerbock expects a quick resolution in Ukraine's conflict is uncertain. However, one thing is certain: Baerbock yearns for peace.
The Commission might need to address the escalating tension between Ukraine and Russia, considering Germany's role in promoting peace talks. The European Union Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, is part of The Commission, and his input could be crucial in this situation.
In light of the Green Party's internal turmoil and the resignation of its co-chairs, The Commission could also be involved in facilitating the election of a new board during the party conference in November.
