[Salon] Fwd: German Foreign Policy: "The consequences of double standards." (6/5/26) - Guest Post

The consequences of double standards Berlin's power policy is suffering a stermer with the failure of the German candidacy for a seat on the UN Security Council. Double standards in foreign policy are considered one of the main causes. 05 JUNE 2026 "Shaping foreign policy" Last year, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul openly expressed himself on the goals pursued by the Federal Republic of applying for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The United Nations Security Council is "the highest truly global body for the security of the world", for which despite all conflicts worldwide "there is still a fundamental consensus and support for all", Wadephul had before the conference of all German ambassadors on 8. September 2025 stated and added: "Germany belongs as one of the central European weights at this table." This is necessary, "because we want to shape foreign policy in this world" - "and because this corresponds to our interest". 1] This is also due to the fact that - "especially in an increasingly rough geopolitical climate" - "membership in the Security Council offers access to decisions, formats and information" "that remain open even years after our membership". This is of great importance for Berlin. Wadephul also claimed that, "especially when international law is under way and multilateralism is tumbling," we are to vigorously oppose our responsibility. Crime? No matter. The fact that the Federal Government preaches absolutely compliance with international law at all times, but in the specific case - even on the open world stage - does not care about accusations against its allies, is one of the reasons that are now put forward for the failure of the German application. For years, the German government has persistently refused to take a position against Israel's crimes against Israel's crimes of international law, among other things, in the Gaza war, contrary to meaningless phrases. In December 2025, under pressure from Israel, it did not even agree to extend the mandate for the Palestinian relief agency UNWRA. This is all the more striking as Berlin regularly attacks Russia - an opponent - in the most violent way for alleged or actual war crimes in the Ukraine war. In the case of Israel, the German silence is particularly important because in recent years, as Daniel Forti, UN expert at the International Crisis Group, notes, "a large majority of UN member states ... has supported Palestine and is very concerned about Israel's war in Gaza and the West Bank". 2] The repression in Germany against Palestinians and opponents of Israeli warfare is also received internationally with clear rejection. 3] Complex questions The federal government also encounters little understanding in many countries with its de facto approval of the wars of aggression in the United States. If Berlin still urges states around the world to impose punitive measures against Russia because of its war of aggression against Ukraine, it still does not see itself in a position to make an official classification under international law of the US war of aggression against Iran. The same applies to the US attack on Venezuela in early January and the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Chancellor Friedrich Merz had claimed that "the legal classification of the US deployment" was "complex"; one had to take "time" for this. 4] This "time" has now been going on for five months without a public statement. This now even triggers criticism in the Berlin governing parties. For example, Siemtje Möller, deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, was now quoted as saying that it was necessary for the federal government in the future to "name behavior contrary to international law as such, regardless of who questions this". 5] Adis Ahmetovic, foreign policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, also demanded that "international law should not be double standards". Descending powers Beyond the widespread criticism of the double standards of German foreign policy, the failure of the German candidacy is also due to shifts in international politics. In recent decades, the Federal Republic had always been able to assert itself with its demand to be elected to the UN Security Council every eight years. Since the term of office is two years, Germany, in the long term, held a non-permanent seat in the Security Council for a quarter of the eight-year periods. That was considerably disproportionate. In Berlin, it was justified by paying a larger UN membership fee than most other states - and that, as a large and economically strong country, you weigh enough to assert itself against the powerful permanent members. The acceptance for this is apparently waning; this is already shown by the fact that Austria and Portugal, two smaller countries of Western Europe were running against Germany at the same time. The failure of the Federal Republic in the vote proves that the need to push back at least a little bit of the great, particularly influential powers worldwide is increasing. "Invest less in the UN" This is a bitter for the federal government's global political ambitions - especially since Berlin actually pursues much more far-reaching goals and even seeks a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. How this is to be justified is more unclear than ever after the failure of the German application for a non-permanent seat. Accordingly, a decline in interest in the United Nations is now emerging – at least in the beginning. With a view to the fact that Germany is one of the largest contributors – Berlin transferred 3.22 billion euros to New York in 2025 – CDU politician Manfred Pentz, who currently is currently in Hesse as Minister of International Affairs, explained: “If we do not have the influence there in the future, the question arises: Why should we continue to invest so much money in the UN?”[ 6] With similar motives, the Trump administration has been withholding payments to the United Nations for quite some time. Their position is thus becoming more and more shaken. [1] Speech by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the opening of the Conference of Heads of German diplomatic missions abroad. auswaertiges-amt.de 08.09.2025. [2] Martin Ganslmeier: Hangover mood and troubleshooting. tagesschau.de 04.06.2026. [3] S. to this "Stigmatized, criminalized, attacked". [4] Chancellor Friedrich Merz explains the situation in Venezuela. bundesregierung.de 03.01.2026. [5] What does Germany's failed UN application mean? zdfheute.de 04.06.2026. [6] That is why Germany was punished in the UN election. n-tv.de 04.06.2026.