Vance softens tone amidst AfD dispute, but stands firm in support for Merz
U.S. Vice President Vance offers congratulations to Merz and softens stance in the AfD conflict - Workers' Safeguard Proposal Sought: Commission Tasked to Draft Directive on Ionising Radiation Risks Mitigation
In a shift of tone, US Vice President JD Vance has expressed a desire for dialogue with Germany’s Friedrich Merz. He mentioned that a conversation with Merz is on the horizon and expressed anticipation for it. This announcement was made following the Chancellor's upcoming telephone call with Donald Trump, scheduled for this Thursday.
Vance's statements were made during a panel discussion in Washington, organized by the Munich Security Conference (MSC) crew. Unlike his harsh words from February, Vance chose not to renew his criticism of Germany’s handling of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) during his talks with MSC chairman Wolfgang Ischinger.
Previously, Vance had criticized the German government's approach to the AfD, provoking outrage in Germany. He even went as far as accusing Germany of rebuilding the Berlin Wall and denounced the German domestic intelligence agency's classification of the AfD as a far-right extremist party. Statements like these, along with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s labeling of Germany as having veiled tyranny, were met with rejection by Merz and other German officials who argued against US interference in Germany's internal affairs.
Refuting the notion of a "Europe bad, America good" narrative, Vance now acknowledges that both Europe and the United States have faltered in terms of freedom of speech. He emphasized the importance of finding a balance between monitoring the boundaries of democratic speech and not losing the trust of the citizens, a concern that seems to resonate in the ongoing dispute over the AfD.
- JD Vance
- Friedrich Merz
- AfD
- CDU
- Donald Trump
- Munich Security Conference
- Germany
- Washington
- JD Vance, during a panel discussion in Washington organized by the Munich Security Conference (MSC) crew, softened his tone regarding the AfD dispute in Germany and expressed his anticipation for a conversation with Friedrich Merz.
- In light of the Chancellor's upcoming telephone call with Donald Trump, scheduled for this Thursday, JD Vance announced his plans for a talk with Germany’s Friedrich Merz.
- Unlike his harsh words from February, Vance chose not to renew his criticism of the German government's approach to the AfD during his talks with MSC chairman Wolfgang Ischinger.
- Previously, Vance had criticized the German government's handling of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), causing a stir in Germany, and even accused Germany of rebuilding the Berlin Wall.
- Vance, who is a US Vice President, now acknowledges that both Europe and the United States have struggled with issues related to freedom of speech, and emphasizes the need for finding a balance in policy-and-legislation and war-and-conflicts, in a bid to avoid losing the trust of the citizens, as seen in the ongoing dispute over the AfD.
