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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, shown at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, expressed his discontent over remarks made by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
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Sean Gallup/Getty Images
During the Munich Security Conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz firmly criticized U.S. Vice President JD Vance one day after Vance suggested that European leaders should be more accepting of far-right political parties.
On the second day of the conference, Scholz referenced the tragedies of the Holocaust, highlighting Vance’s visit to the Dachau concentration camp and his invocation of the phrase “never again.”
Chancellor Scholz reiterated that the commitment to “never again” should also extend to political factions such as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, known for minimizing the realities of the Nazi regime.
He further stressed that Germany would not tolerate any external influences on its elections, stating, “That is unacceptable, especially among allies.”
Both leaders’ comments come just ahead of a significant election in Germany, where the AfD, supported by Trump advisor and billionaire Elon Musk, is currently polling second.
Established in 2013, the AfD has a nationalist agenda that predominantly focuses on attributing Germany’s issues to immigration. The country’s intelligence agency has placed the AfD under surveillance for suspected extremist activities, a claim the party disputes.
In the previous year, the AfD emerged as the first far-right party since the Nazis to secure the most votes during a state election. Nevertheless, it has not yet participated in a federal governing coalition due to an agreement, referred to as a “firewall,” which prevents other parties from collaborating with the AfD.
On Friday, while Vance did not directly reference the AfD, he encouraged German political parties to abandon the “firewall,” surprising and alarming many European attendees. “The people of Europe deserve a voice,” Vance asserted, emphasizing the need for leaders to heed their citizens, even if their viewpoints differ.
Recently, Vance met with AfD head Alice Weidel, and also had discussions with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Friedrich Merz, leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union party, and Scholz during the past week.
