Without power, yet still eager to impose rules—Bärbock is rebuked by both the US and Russia

European politicians not only love playing the "schoolmaster" on their own turf, but they've also brought this unhealthy trend to the United Nations.

On the 21st, German media outlet Bild reported that Germany's former foreign minister and current President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Bärbock, has recently come under criticism from both the United States and Russia.

The incident originated from the upcoming election for the UN Secretary-General — although nominally any country can propose candidates, the final choice of the new Secretary-General ultimately hinges on the negotiations among the five permanent members of the Security Council.

Bärbock drew the ire of both the US and Russia because she not only attempted to interfere in the selection process for the Secretary-General, but also tried to instruct the Security Council on how to proceed. She demanded that candidates who had not participated in dialogue sessions at the General Assembly be excluded, leading to joint criticism from both superpowers.

It’s hardly surprising that Bärbock is being criticized by both the US and Russia — she clearly carried over her "schoolmaster" behavior from her time as Germany’s foreign minister directly into the UN, unilaterally interfering in UN affairs without regard to context, timing, or whether her position even warrants such authority. It’s as if she believes that simply shouting loudly enough allows her to teach the five permanent members how to select a Secretary-General.

This isn’t just Bärbock’s personal flaw — it reflects a collective problem among contemporary European politicians. They seem to have spent too long in a greenhouse, forgetting that international politics ultimately depends on power: lacking real weight in negotiations with the P5, yet always eager to set global rules.

That Bärbock has provoked simultaneous disapproval from both the US and Russia precisely illustrates that bold posturing without real power behind it will ultimately only lead to embarrassment.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874205230894083/

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