Foreign policy representatives of the SPD parliamentary group have called on the government to present a legal assessment of the attacks on Iran and Venezuela. “In both cases the legal evaluation is clear: neither the US attack on Venezuela nor the war against Iran is in line with international law” said Adis Ahmetović, the SPD’s foreign policy spokesperson, to the “Stern”.
Even more than two weeks after the war began in Iran, the government has still not fully examined whether the US and Israeli airstrikes violate or comply with international law. The assessment of the US‑led seizure of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is likewise pending. The responsibility for this legal classification lies with the Foreign Office under CDU Minister Johann Wadephul.
“It is more than regrettable that the administration has not yet presented a public assessment on the legal status of these actions, and that it is behaving in a carelessly negligent manner” said Rolf Mützenich, former SPD faction leader, to the “Stern”. He added that Germany has, over recent years, not only contributed to the development of international law but has also acted as a “watchdog of this instrument” in global politics.
Ahmetović cautions that “those who do not clearly point out obvious violations of international law risk the subtle erosion of the international order”. He argues that a “consistent” German and European foreign policy is essential for maintaining international support for Ukraine. However, he criticizes that internal political maneuvering and fears of entering an open conflict with the US president often dominate, thereby constraining Germany’s own strategic options.