Germany’s former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock was appointed president of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, following an election in which she ran unopposed, Euronews reports.
Baerbock, who was elected to the position with a simple majority, will take the top job at the assembly — a role of primarily ceremonial significance that largely involves organising plenary sessions among the body’s 193 represented countries.
Russia, which was opposed to Baerbock’s nomination, asked for a secret ballot on Monday, but the vote was considered a formality in the run-up to her election.
She will be inaugurated on 9 September, shortly before the UN General Assembly holds its general debate, and will have the post for one year.
Germany, tasked with nominating a candidate for the 2025–2026 session, selected Baerbock over Helga Schmid, a seasoned diplomat who had initially been considered for the role.
Her nomination over Schmid sparked controversy within Germany, most notably from the former chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen, who called her selection an “affront.”
“It is outrageous to replace the best and most internationally experienced German diplomat with an outdated model,” Heusgen told the domestic press.
Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel also criticised Baerbock and highlighted Schmid’s achievements. “Ms Baerbock can learn a lot from her,” Gabriel said.
Նյութերը գեներացվում են տարբեր կայքերից արհեստական բանականության միջոցով