German Diplomat Baerbock to Be UNGA President
Annalena Baerbock. X/ @janaviktoriana
June 2, 2025 Hour: 2:00 pm
Previously, she sparked controversy due to her perceived sympathies with far-right narratives and causes.
On Monday, 167 countries voted in favor of appointing former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (2021–2025) as president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its 80th session, which will begin in September.
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During the secret ballot, 14 countries abstained from supporting the 44-year-old diplomat, who has recently sparked controversy due to her perceived sympathies with far-right narratives and causes.
“Baerbock’s nomination reportedly sparked discontent within the Foreign Ministry. Some expressed concern her appointment could cost Germany votes, particularly from countries in the Global South, due to her outspoken anti-Russian rhetoric and pro-Israeli stance,” Russian news agency TASS reported.
“In mid-May, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, criticized Berlin’s choice as ‘a slap in the face.’ It was Baerbock who had recommended excluding Russia and Belarus from the 80th VE-Day anniversary commemorations and expressed public pride in her grandfather, who served in the SS,” the agency added.
Her election, however, came as no surprise, as the presidency of the UN General Assembly was slated this year to go to the “Western European and Others Group.” Additionally, Baerbock’s candidacy had already been broadly negotiated and agreed upon among European Union member states.
Before Baerbock, only four women had held the post of president of the body where all 193 member states are represented—despite the position being renewed annually and having seen 79 presidents across as many sessions.
The last woman to serve in the role was Ecuador’s Maria Fernanda Espinosa, who was elected for the session that began in September 2018.
While the General Assembly has now elected five women as presidents with Baerbock’s appointment, a woman has never led the UN Secretariat. Increasingly, voices are urging states to take that symbolic step when current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres finishes his term at the end of 2026.
The UN lists gender equality and the empowerment of women among its Sustainable Development Goals and pledges to “ensure women’s full participation in all aspects of life,” but it has yet to fully lead by example. As the secretary-general often notes, final decisions at the UN ultimately rest with its states.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE – TASS
