Scholz Pushes Back Against Vance’s Criticism at Munich Conference
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivered a strong rebuke to U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Saturday, responding to his criticism of Europe’s stance on hate speech and the far right.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Scholz addressed Vance’s accusations from the previous day, where the U.S. Vice President claimed European leaders were censoring free speech and criticized Germany’s mainstream parties for their “firewall” against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
“That is not appropriate, especially not among friends and allies. We firmly reject that,” Scholz stated, emphasizing the “good reasons” for not collaborating with the AfD.
The AfD, founded in 2013, is a nationalist party that often blames immigrants for Germany’s challenges. The party is currently under surveillance by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency for suspected extremism.
Scholz declared, “Never again fascism, never again racism, never again aggressive war. That is why an overwhelming majority in our country opposes anyone who glorifies or justifies criminal National Socialism.” He underscored that this commitment extends to parties like the AfD, which have downplayed the atrocities of the Nazi regime.
He also stressed that Germany would not tolerate external interference in its political processes, particularly from individuals endorsing extremist parties.
Addressing Vance’s broader criticism of Europe’s measures against hate speech, which Vance likened to censorship, Scholz explained, “Today’s democracies in Germany and Europe are founded on the historic awareness that democracies can be destroyed by radical anti-democrats. This is why we’ve created institutions that ensure our democracies can defend themselves against their enemies.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot echoed Scholz’s sentiments, stating, “No one is required to adopt our model but no one can impose theirs on us. Freedom of speech is guaranteed in Europe.”
Vance had met with the leader of the AfD on Friday, endorsing the party as a political partner—a move Berlin dismissed as unwelcome election interference. Notably, Vance barely mentioned Russia or Ukraine in his address, focusing instead on his concerns about free speech and immigration in Europe.
His remarks were met with stunned silence by many conference delegates, with little applause following his speech. When asked if there was anything in Vance’s speech worth reflecting on, Scholz responded with a wry smile, “You mean all these very relevant discussions about Ukraine and security in Europe?” His comment drew laughter and applause from the audience.
