Steven N.
Népszava takes a look at the government program of the incoming German government and what it might mean for Hungary. From a foreign policy perspective, prospective Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the presentation of the document that he had a very close relationship with the United States and that he advocated a multilateral world order based on international cooperation.
The future Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, Co-Chair of the Greens (pictured), explained that the coalition parties are initiating a paradigm shift in many areas of foreign policy, and are once again calling for more active involvement. These include “preserving Europe’s strategic sovereignty,” which means strengthening the EU’s position in the world in fields such as energy, health, raw material imports, and digital technology.
The program also sent an apparent message to Hungary and Poland with the statement, “We will only support the European Commission’s proposal to disburse funds if conditions such as the independence of the judiciary are guaranteed.”
According to Népszava, Baerbock has repeatedly demanded tougher action against the Hungarian government, although admittedly from the opposition side. For example, last June she called for greater diplomatic pressure on Hungary to enforce human rights, and also accused the German government of “being silent for too long about the dismantling of human rights in Hungary.”
The paper argues that while a change in German foreign policy may be forthcoming, disputes between the parties of the incoming German coalition can still be expected on the issue of what kind of action to take against Poland and Hungary.
[Népszava]
