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Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany accused the vice-president JD Vance on Saturday to interfere unacceptably in the imminent elections of his country in the name of a party which played the atrocities committed by the Nazis 80 years ago.
One day after Mr. Vance amazed the Munich security conference by telling German leaders to drop their so-called firewall and authorize the right-wing alternative for Germany, or AFD, Entering their federal government, Scholz accused Mr. Vance of raping a commitment to never allow Germany to be led by fascists who could repeat the horrors of the Holocaust.
“A commitment to” Never Again “cannot be reconciled with the support of AFD,” said Scholz at the conference on Saturday morning, in an address opening the second day of the rally.
Scholz said AFD has trivialized Nazi atrocities like Dachau’s concentration camp, which Mr. Vance visited on Friday. The chancellor said that Germany “would not accept” suggestions by foreigners on how to manage his democracy – or directives to work with such a party.
“It is not done, certainly not with friends and allies,” said Scholz. “Where our democracy goes from here, it is for us to decide.”
The participants of Mr. Vance’s speech expected to hear details on the Trump administration plans for peace discussions in Ukraine and NATO’s defense policies. Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky, of Ukraine himself, emphasized the war of Ukraine in his remarks, strongly exposing the threat of sustainable soldiers by Russia and making a passionate appeal for Europeans Take their security in their own hands, in particular by forming an “army of Europe” which would supplement American power on the continent.
His speech attracted standing ovations, unlike Mr. Vance’s speech the day before.
Mr. Scholz’s comments underlined growing discomfort among European leaders on their relationship with the United States and their own domestic policy. They came while the leaders rushed at the summit to formulate a response to the sudden change of President Trump in Ukrainian policy – and the possibility that he can cut the continent of negotiations.
Only a few days before Mr. Vance’s remarks, Trump threatened to impose new prices on almost all countries with which the United States is negotiated. He then spoke of directly negotiating the Russian war in Ukraine with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, leaving Europeans, including Ukraine, wondering if they would be included. The Polish Foreign Minister declared at the summit that President Emmanuel Macron of France called on Sunday an emergency meeting for European leaders to discuss Ukraine.
At the same time, far-right parties across Europe have gained ground by explaining a discomfort on immigration, which also helped to propel Mr. Trump in power in the United States. The comments of Mr. Vance suggested that a new type of American alliance with Europe was formed, which bypassing official management in favor of movements such as German AFD and the National Rally of France.
The sessions on Saturday on the security conference were dominated by mainly negative reactions to Mr. Vance – and on the agenda of Mr. Trump.
Scholz was joined in his criticisms by Friedrich Merz, his rival as a chancellor candidate for conservative Christian Democrats, which, according to polls, is the favorite to be the next leader of Germany.
Mr. Vance spent much of his speech on Friday by rumbling the Europeans for what he suggested were Soviet style restrictions on freedom of expression through the continent. On Saturday, Mr. Merz defended the laws of Germany which prohibit particular forms of discourse, including the speeches of hate and prohibited Nazi slogans, including on social networks.
He also suggested that Mr. Trump’s administration eliminated speech in the United States, after moving on Friday to expel the Associated Press to signal the pools and Mr. Trump’s plane because the news agency Refuses to follow Mr. Trump’s directive to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
“”We stick to the rules given by our democratic institutions, ”said Mr. Merz. “Freedom of expression remains freedom of expression and is part of our open and democratic society. And the false news, hatred speeches and offenses remain subject to legal constraints and controlled by independent courts. »»
“I think I should say,” he added, “in front of the events that took place at DC yesterday-we would never launch the press agency, outside the press room of our Chancellor.”
Mr. Merz also criticized Mr. Trump’s pricing policy, saying that Germany wanted to reduce prices, not to increase them and that “we do not believe in commercial conflicts”.
The White House made no immediate comments on the remarks of Mr. Scholz and Mr. Merz.
The comments were the last of a series of criticisms of the speech of Mr. Vance of German politicians before the elections next Sunday. Mr. Scholz’s social democrats are third or fourth in most polls. AFD is in second position and its Chancellor candidate, Alice Weidel, met Mr. Vance on Friday in Munich.
Certain parts of AFD have been classified as extremists by German intelligence. Some of its members have been guilty of having violated German law against the use of Nazi slogans. Others were arrested for trying to overthrow the federal government. Thus, although AFD candidates were able to win parliamentary seats, no other party was willing to form a coalition with them to take control of the government.
This collective edition of AFD and other extremist parties is known as firewall. Mr. Vance was targeted on Friday, claiming that AFD and other right-wing parties across Europe represented legitimate concerns of voters concerning high levels of migration to European countries in the Middle East and elsewhere .
“There is no room for firewalls,” said Mr. Vance.
The vice-president also called on freedom of expression a greater threat to Europe than the military aggression of Russia or China.
Mr. Scholz reprimanded Mr. Vance for this orientation in a session of questions and answers after his speech. Zanny Minton Bedoes asked by Zanny Minton Bedoes, editor -in -chief of The Economist, if Mr. Vance had argued in his speech which deserves to be reflected.
“Do you mean all these very relevant discussions on Ukraine and security in Europe?” Mr. Scholz said, pulling laughter from the public.
He then directly discussed Mr. Vance’s criticism on European speech restrictions.
“We must be very clear that freedom of expression in Europe means that you do not attack others in a way that is against the legislation and the laws we have in our country,” said Scholz. “And this is the case. There is no difference between the digital world and the analog world to say it like that. And we must be very clear that hatred and all this, which is so bad for our societies, should not be the reality of the public debate. »»
Mr. Zelensky, in his remarks, focused on the issue of European defense. He reiterated his position according to which the United States would be essential to ensure any ceasefire in Ukraine, but that he would need Europe to intensify too. He pointed out what he said was intelligence warnings from the Russian plans to carry out military exercises in Belarus next summer. He noted that Russia had invaded Ukraine after deploying troops in the Bélarus under the cover of exercises.
“Europe just needs to meet and start to act so that no one can say” no “in Europe, direct or treat it as a pushver,” said Zelensky.
Trump said he wanted access to minerals in Ukraine worth a half-bill of dollars in exchange for continuous military support; The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, opened the discussions on this issue in kyiv last week. “We are still talking about,” said Mr. Zelensky on Saturday.
In a conversation with the anchoring CNN Christiance Amanpour after his speech, Mr. Zelensky also said that Ukraine should be at the table to all stop with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
“It’s up to them, they can discuss whatever they want, but not Ukraine without Ukraine,” he said.
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