A critical assessment of the German EU Council Presidency

On the occasion of the end of the German EU Council Presidency on December 31 of this year, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) criticizes the overall outcome – stating that, over the past six months, the Federal Republic had consistently put "realpolitik" considerations above the aspect of human rights. "This has become particularly clear in the relationship with China, as European efforts were often blocked by Berlin," criticized Ulrich Delius, the STP's Director. "Probably out of consideration for the interests of the German automotive industry, there was no reaction to the worrying situation of the Muslim nationalities in Xinjiang, the extension of the forced labor system in Tibet, or the suppression of democracy protests in Hong Kong."

Further, Delius emphasized that Germany failed to make use of the presidency with regard to crisis prevention: "The humanitarian and human rights disaster in Ethiopia was months in the making – and the EU should have gone to much more effort to try and prevent a war in Tigray in the run-up to the military intervention in the famine region. However, Germany held back from publicly criticizing Ethiopia's government. By remaining silent, the EU indirectly encouraged war crimes and other serious human rights violations. Crisis prevention also includes putting pressure on other states to prevent the most serious human rights violations." Further, Delius criticized that the EU failed to act in the Tigray conflict because Germany has too many interests in Ethiopia. Nonetheless, human rights are indivisible and must be respected by all states, especially by preferred partners of Germany and the EU.

Delius added that Berlin's fear of refugees and immigrants has also cemented the EU's servility towards Turkey. "Turkish President Erdogan quickly learned that he can get away with practically anything as a consequence of the refugee deal with Merkel. He did not get any headwind from Brussels for supporting Azerbaijan's attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, and he is able to continue his war against ethnic and religious minorities in northern Syria and his arms deliveries to Libya," Delius said. "The only thing that has provoked a reaction is the natural gas drilling near Cyprus – because this issue is not about people, but about foreign currency.