Munich, Germany, Feb 15 (EFE).- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rebuked US Vice President JD Vance on Saturday, warning against any foreign interference in Germany’s democracy and elections, particularly in support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Scholz condemned AfD’s stance on Germany’s Nazi past, recalling that the party has referred to National Socialism and its crimes, such as those committed at the Dachau concentration camp, as mere “bird droppings” in history.
The chancellor noted that Vance had visited Dachau a day earlier and spoke of the need to prevent such atrocities from happening again.
“The commitment to ‘never again’ is incompatible with support for the AfD,” Scholz said. “That is why we will not accept outsiders interfering in our democracy, our elections, and our political discourse in favor of this party.”
Scholz, who is seeking re-election in Germany’s upcoming general elections, also indirectly criticized tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has publicly backed AfD. “We firmly reject it. We decide for ourselves what happens with our democracy—us and no one else.”
He warned that democracy in Germany and Europe remains vulnerable to anti-democratic radicals, emphasizing that institutions must act as safeguards against such threats.
Vance’s speech in Munich sparked widespread unease among German and European leaders.
The US vice president argued that Europe’s biggest threat was not Russia or China but internal forces suppressing free speech.
He criticized the annulment of Romania’s presidential elections after the victory of far-right candidate Calin Georgescu due to alleged Russian interference.
He also condemned the exclusion of AfD and the leftist populist Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) from the Munich Security Conference, insisting that democratic systems should not impose a “sanitary cordon” against political groups with alternative views.
Scholz firmly rejected Vance’s stance, reiterating Germany’s consensus on excluding the far right from decision-making and refusing any cooperation with AfD, which currently ranks second in national polls.
Vance reportedly met with AfD leader and chancellor candidate Alice Weidel on Friday night, as well as Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s conservative opposition.
Merz later criticized Vance’s remarks, calling them “almost an abusive treatment toward Europeans, especially us Germans.” EFE
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