“Now I’m a private person” – Baerbock leaves the world stage

Farewell to the UN

“Now I’m a private person” – Baerbock leaves the world stage

Few politicians polarize like Annalena Baerbock. At the end of her UN position, she talks about pressure, false allegations and power games – and why she now wants to be a private citizen.

If you want to list Annalena Baerbock’s political opponents, you have to look far beyond Germany. Russia never made a secret of his dislike for the former foreign minister and wanted to prevent her election as President of the UN General Assembly. Baerbock still made it to the post. During her year in office she also clashed with the USA to each other. Shortly before her farewell on September 8th, Baerbock seemed remarkably unimpressed.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of headwinds, otherwise these offices are not for you in such stormy times,” says Baerbock. Baerbock is used to turbulent times. In an interview with dpa, she describes the allegations of being a prostitute, having a gigolo in Africa and the scene of being followed by a drone. Because of a Russian reconnaissance drone, the Green politician had to visit a waterworks in the city in 2024 Ukraine terminate prematurely. She also wrote about the accusation that arose in the same year that Baerbock had an affair with an African gigolo on a trip to Africa Federal Government later Russia.

During her time as a candidate for chancellor, “it once felt like going through hell,” she says today. Baerbock was exposed to hostility at the time, but also made negative headlines with, among other things, corrections to his own CV and a book because of textual similarities to other works.

Particularly during her time as Foreign Minister, individual linguistic mistakes and unfortunate formulations were brought up again and again. At the same time, some of the criticism against her was demonstrably linked to false allegations and sexist attacks. Critics also accused her of having an overly confrontational and value-oriented foreign policy – especially towards Russia China. Today she calls her position as Foreign Minister the “best preparation for the UN office.” “I think I understand these masculine power games pretty well.”

According to reports, there were also power games new York quite a few at the United Nations. According to UN circles, the former foreign minister also faced considerable pressure behind the scenes. US representatives are said to have threatened consequences if, in their view, undesirable topics came onto the agenda. The USA and Russia, for example, repeatedly try to weaken or delete established formulations on women’s rights and climate protection, among other things, with amendments and the threat not to support resolutions.

“The United Nations and international law are literally under attack. And that made it a very turbulent year,” says the 45-year-old. “Large systems like that U.N.“They don’t die with a loud bang, but they collapse quietly.”