German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a member of the Green party, has announced her intention to continue in her current role for the next legislative period. In an interview with Politico, she emphasized her dedication to the position, stating, “I haven’t finished yet.” Baerbock expressed her inability to envision herself in any other role, as she believes the Foreign Ministry is well-suited for addressing German domestic policy issues as well.
The minister highlighted the digitalization of visas as one of her greatest achievements, describing the previous visa system as “completely focused on exclusion.” She claimed that her predecessors in a government led by the Union parties had hindered the influx of skilled foreign workers, saying, “We had a visa system that was not designed to win the best talents in the world, which we as an industrial nation desperately need.”
Baerbock revealed that she has taken the government plane over 60 times during her three years in office, initially finding the experience challenging. She confessed that flying made her feel unwell and that she was not a fan of flying, but has since grown accustomed to it, stating, “I’ve learned to adapt to the fact that flying is not a reason for me not to seek a second term.”
The minister expressed surprise at the collapse of the coalition government, which she described as unexpected, even after expressing concerns about the possibility. She recalled being in Ukraine when the news of Donald Trump’s re-election broke, and not sleeping for three nights, thinking that the coalition’s meeting would be difficult, but that afterwards she could catch up on her rest. However, the events unfolded differently, and the coalition collapsed.
Although Baerbock emphasized the importance of constructive debate in democracies, she acknowledged that the conflicts within the coalition government were not always civil, stating, “The argument was not always cultivated, and that may have been part of the problem.” Nonetheless, she praised her ability to work well with her coalition partners, particularly with Finance Minister Hubertus Heil, with whom she shares a good sense of humor.