The German defense minister Boris Pistorius during the Munich security conference responded to the speech of the United States Vice President JD Vance and criticized them sharply. “Democracy does not mean that the loud minority is automatically right and decides about the truth,” said Pistorius. Vance previously stated that he was most worried about the “threat from the inside” in the context of Europe.
– I am in favor of transatlantic cooperation, American's great friend, American Dream has always fascinated me. That's why I can't go to the agenda, I can't leave a speech of the US Vice President without comment – said Boris Pistorius, departing from the prepared text of the speech.
Pistorius accused Vance of challenging democracy in Europe and compared the situation in a part of the continent to the situation in authoritarian regimes. “This is unacceptable,” said Pistorius, to which conference participants reacted with long applause.
He emphasized that Europe presented by the US Vice President is not a Europe in which he lives and runs an election campaign.
Boris PistoriusPAP/EPA/Ronald Wittek
Pistorius: Democracy must be able to defend itself against extremists
SPD politician emphasized that in this democracy every view has a voice. “As he explained, parties in an extremist part, such as an alternative to Germany (AFD), can conduct an election campaign, just like all other groups.
– Democracy does not mean, however, that the loud minority is automatically right and determines the truth. Democracy must be able to defend himself against extremists who want to destroy it, “said Pistorius.
– I vigorously oppose the impression that Vice President Vance left that minorities are persecuted in our democracy and that they are forced to silence. We not only know against whom we defend our country, but also what we are fighting for: for democracy, freedom of speech, the state of the law and the dignity of every person – emphasized the clearly agitated head of the German Ministry of Defense.
JD Vance's speech during the Munich Safety Conference
Vance said earlierthat Russia or China is not the greatest threat to Europe, but the threat from the inside, i.e. the retreat of Europe from some of the most basic values.
The American vice president devoted his speech in Munich to a sharp critic of European democracy in Munich, accusing Europe of departing from his own values, the use of censorship, ignoring voters and persecution of Christians. He considered this the greatest threat to the continent.
JD Vance in MunichEPA/Ronald Wittek
– The threat I am most worried about in the context of Europe is not Russia, it is not China, it is not any other external actor. What I am most worried about is the threat from the inside, the retreat of Europe from some of its most basic values, values ​​shared with the United States of America, said Vance. As one of the main examples, he indicated the cancellation of the presidential election in Romania, as well as the fight against disinformation.
Elon Musk, billionaire and close associate of US President Donald Trump, in the past months publicly supported the pro -Russian and eurosceptic AfD.
Source of the main photo: PAP/EPA/Ronald Wittek