Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) are presenting concepts for stronger feminist politics in their ministries today. After a meeting of the Federal Cabinet, both want to inform the public together in Berlin around noon.
A cabinet decision is not necessary for the concepts – these are guidelines that apply to the ministries. Criticism of the concepts comes from the opposition of the Union and left-wing faction – but also from the FDP, a traffic light partner.
Equality equals stability
In the foreword to the 80-page catalog with guidelines for a feminist foreign policy, Baerbock writes that women’s rights are an indicator of the state of society. The concept is an integral part of value-based foreign policy and should also be reflected in the planned national security strategy “in the sense of a comprehensive understanding of security”.
From summer onwards, an “ambassador of the Federal Foreign Office for feminist foreign policy” should primarily work internally.
Schulze wrote about the presentation of her concept: “If women have equal rights and bear the same responsibility, there will be less poverty, less hunger and more stability in the world.” Their guidelines stipulate that by 2025 more than 90 percent of the newly committed project funds will flow into projects that advance equality. The concept of feminist development policy should be anchored in cooperation with partner countries. At least 50 percent of management positions in the ministry should be filled by women.
Kubicki speaks of emotional satisfaction
FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki told the digital media company “Table.Media”: “I don’t think much of the concept of feminist foreign policy because it aims less at achieving diplomatic improvements than at the emotional satisfaction of domestic political actors.” In any case, the line of German foreign policy is drawn by the Chancellery. “The diplomatic balance shown by (Chancellor) Olaf Scholz (SPD) lets me sleep better,” said Kubicki.
Union criticizes hesitation
The Union foreign expert Jürgen Hardt (CDU) held Baerbock in view of their new guidelines for hesitant behavior towards Iran. “With an immediate and unequivocal positioning on the side of the protesting women in Iran, the federal government could have shown what feminist foreign policy means in practice,” said the foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group of the German Press Agency in Berlin.
“Instead, to this day we see Berlin putting the brakes on the pressure against the mullah regime,” he criticized. “It’s easier to write concepts than to actually muster the courage or even just political capital to actively support women.”
Linke: Concepts not credible
Linke leader Janine Wissler told the newspapers of the Funke media group that arms exports to Saudi Arabia or liquid gas deals with Qatar are not an expression of feminist or value-based foreign policy. “Anyone who has arms exported to countries where women’s and human rights are trampled underfoot cannot credibly live up to this claim.”
