The Union’s criticism of President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier has sparked unease within the SPD, according to a report by the “Spiegel”.
Steinmeier has described the Iran conflict, led by Israel and the United States, as “unlawful” and a “politically disastrous mistake”. The government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has thus far avoided making a similar statement.
Union faction leader Jens Spahn urged Steinmeier to exercise restraint, saying that the legal assessment of the situation belongs to the federal government. He added that officials of the German republic should wait for and respect that assessment.
In response, leading SPD foreign‑policy figures have come to the president’s defence.
“Steinmeier’s remarks echo what most international‑law experts have said since the war began: the military strike by Netanyahu and Trump is illegal” said Adis Ahmetovic, the SPD parliamentary group’s foreign‑policy spokesman, to the “Spiegel”.
The SPD group shares this legal view. “We thank the president for his courage and for the clarity he brings to these difficult questions” Ahmetovic said. “This clarity is essential. The Union should follow suit and tone down its tone. No one seeks to downplay the crimes of the Iranian regime, but reckless missile attacks help no one”.
Former faction leader Rolf Mützenich expressed regret that the federal government has yet to issue a public legal assessment of both the kidnapping of the former Colombian president Maduro and the war against Iran. “The president’s expression of international law in respect of our constitution is, given this void, decisive and necessary” Mützenich told the “Spiegel”.