Barely re-elected, German President Steinmeier comes out of his reserve and tackles Moscow

The press across the Rhine is struggling to contain its surprise. Re-elected this weekend with a large majority, the German Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, began his new mandate by attacking Russia and its role in the Ukrainian crisis.

“We mightn’t have asked for a better election.” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was re-elected by Bundestag MPs and Länder delegates over the weekend with an overwhelming majority, sparking enthusiasm on both left and right.

With 1,045 votes out of 1,437, the 66-year-old Social Democrat thus became “the fifth federal president to serve a second term”ensures the left newspaper The Sueddeutsche Zeitung for who “this re-election is generally welcomed with joy”. Among the major parties, only the far-right AfD and the radical left Die Linke did not support the Social Democratic candidate.

“But if the outcome of this vote hardly held any surprises, the inaugural speech of the one who is both the former and the new German president caused a certain stir”, affirms The daily News.

The Social Democratic Head of State, who rarely concerns himself with foreign policy, notably pointed the finger at the Kremlin’s responsibility in the Ukrainian crisis. “Russian military deployments leave no room for doubt. They pose a threat to Ukraine,” he said, addressing Putin directly:

The people of Ukraine have the right to live a life without fear or threat, they have the right to self-determination and sovereignty. We will respond strongly to those who attempt to destroy [ces droits].”

Russian threat in Ukraine

Considered as “understanding of Vladimir Putin” and “generally favorable to Russia”the one who was Minister of Foreign Affairs under Angela Merkel had never expressed himself in such a clear-cut way, reports The mirror.

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Marie Daoudal