- Annalena Baerbock has lacked the instinct necessary for political success, as has the outgoing German government with its personnel decision
- Germany's position in the international arena has not benefited from this decision
- It would be desirable for the next German government's appointment policy for top positions in the UN to be carried out with a more strategic view than has been shown by the current rush to nominate outgoing Foreign Minister Baerbock
The author is the director of the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) at the University of Bonn.
ISTANBUL
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's intention to run for the post of president of the UN General Assembly, while she is still in office, has met with a large, consistently negative response from the German public.
Baerbock's sudden declaration of interest and subsequent nomination by the German government forced the withdrawal of career diplomat Helga Schmid, who had already been nominated last year. What makes this even more remarkable is that Schmid had already undergone numerous interviews, and her withdrawal was due solely to Baerbock’s personal ambitions rather than any objective reason.
Germany's partners and other member states in the UN have also failed to understand the process. Former German Ambassador to the UN Christoph Heusgen quoted a comment to the effect that such a process was previously only considered possible in authoritarian states.
What is the office about? The president chairs the annual General Assembly, which begins in September. This task of chairing the meeting is shared between the president and her deputies, who have the same rights. It is therefore a rather formal office, which has often also been held as a secondary office, for example by a sitting foreign minister or a permanent representative to the UN.
Nevertheless, it brings visibility in the UN system and requires stamina and diplomatic tact, especially when chairing meetings. As the nations rotate, the office is associated with particular national visibility. In 1980, for example, then German Ambassador to the UN Rudiger von Wechmar, performed this task for the Federal Republic of Germany with prudence and aplomb. No special mathematical skills are required to calculate that Germany will probably not be asked to assume the presidency of the General Assembly again for another 50 years.
Personal ambitions versus diplomatic responsibility
Why did Annalena Baerbock accept the poor media response to her late candidacy and the ousting of a proven diplomat who had already been nominated and had already prepared herself extensively for the task?
First of all, this probably has to do with personal ambitions. Up until the federal elections on Feb. 23, Baerbock had let it be known that she would very much like to remain in the office of foreign minister. After the Greens' election defeat, it became clear that the party would probably no longer be part of the next government. When her election as the leader of the parliamentary group was anything but certain due to the turmoil within the party, Baerbock made it clear that she would be taking a step back in future to focus on her family.
Immediately afterwards, news leaked out that she had been nominated by the German government as a candidate for the UN. These rapid and contradictory statements cast doubt on her political judgment. She comes across as a tactician who is only interested in her own personal gain and who is willing to accept that an experienced diplomat could be damaged by her withdrawal. However, her most recent statements are aimed at damage limitation. For example, the statement that the issue at stake is Germany's profile at the UN, that the personnel decision by the current Federal Government had already been coordinated with the incoming government and that it is not about her personally. All these explanations can be quickly recognized as self-serving justifications. Her vague reference to the United Nations facing an important year also raises questions. This leads to speculation about Baerbock's personal career ambitions, especially considering that next year will see the election of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' successor.
Would Annalena Baerbock have a chance of winning this high office? It is to be expected that she could speculate on this office herself. However, a realistic answer is: probably not. Although Germany, admitted to the UN alongside the GDR in 1973, has never held the secretary-general position, it has traditionally been underrepresented in top UN positions. This is also due to the fact that the importance of the UN was downplayed, especially during the government of Chancellor Helmut Kohl from 1982 to 1998, and that other countries -- such as the Netherlands, Australia or New Zealand -- have a much more ambitious profile, especially with regard to UN peacekeeping and humanitarian aid initiatives.
Strategic mistakes and political instincts
Previous service as a foreign minister is an important but not exclusive qualification; historically, successful candidates have often had extensive diplomatic or governmental experience. For example, Kurt Waldheim, who was elected the secretary-general of the UN in 1972 and later became Austrian federal president, can look back on a career as a diplomat and foreign minister of his country. At that time, of course, he already had a great deal of foreign policy experience and benefited from a situation in which China had finally given up its blockade.
The next secretary-general of the UN will also be elected by the Security Council, and each of the five permanent members has the power to exercise their veto. Under the current political circumstances, it is inconceivable that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov will give his stamp of approval to Baerbock.
As a foreign minister, Baerbock has often polarized opinion. As the head of the Federal Foreign Office, she has raised many questions about her character and tactical skills with her ice-cold action of removing an already nominated candidate from the race out of self-interest.
Germany's profile in the UN has become more visible in recent years. The interest in a permanent seat on the Security Council, a declared goal of German foreign policy for many years, is unrealistic in the current world situation.
It would be desirable for the next German government's appointment policy for top positions in the UN system to be carried out with a more strategic view and a wiser hand than has been shown by the current rush to nominate outgoing Foreign Minister Baerbock as a candidate for the president of the next UN General Assembly.
Baerbock has lacked the instinct necessary for political success, as has the outgoing German government with its personnel decision. Germany's position in the international arena has not benefited from this decision.
* Opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Anadolu's editorial policy.
