International Petition against the nomination of Annalena Baerbock as 80th UNGA President

The German government has nominated (former) Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock for the position of 80th President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). We, the undersigned German initiators of this petition, decidedly oppose this nomination and call on all who uphold justice to join us in rejecting it.

Baerbock is neither professionally nor morally fit to lead the UNGA as its 80th President. Over the past 18 months, she has blatantly violated international law by overseeing  Germany’s weapons deliveries to Israel -  in direct contradiction of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) stance against third-party support for Israel's genocide in Palestine. Her actions undermine both national and international justice and accountability. Under her leadership, Germany is now a case at the ICJ, brought by Nicaragua, for alleged violation of international law - a case that remains pending.

Baerbock has demonstrated a deeply troubling disregard for our shared humanity, dismissing the killing and maiming of Palestinians with stark indifference. By labelling them as 'terrorists,' 'human shields,' and 'humanitarian cases,' she dehumanizes an entire people and plays a dangerous role in legitimizing and enabling the ongoing genocide perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians.

Baerbock has also deliberately misled the German public by spreading misinformation with far-reaching consequences. For example, she repeatedly claimed to have seen a gang rape video of Hamas dated October 7, 2023 - a video that does not exist. This false atrocity propaganda has fueled genocidal rhetoric globally, inciting further violence and hatred. Baerbock has further claimed that “Hamas can end the suffering of the Palestinian people immediately,” even while it was widely known that Netanyahu was blocking any ceasefire deal. She continues to refer to Israel’s genocidal campaign as “self-defense.”1 

On October 10, 2024, in a speech in the German federal parliament, she made the deeply alarming statement that “civilian sites could lose their protected status if terrorists abuse this status.”2

Her words not only lack credible evidence but also service to justify military actions that have killed and maimed thousands of Palestinians. 

In June 2024, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention has raised concerns about the Scholz-Baerbock government being complicit in what it called a "second Armenian genocide."  In November 2024, the same institute stated that Germany has “learned nothing from its past” and is now—due to its unwavering support for Israel—a “serial genocidal state.” These statements point to a disturbing pattern of disregard for international law and human rights under Baerbock’s leadership.

Appointing Annalena Baerbock as the 80th President of the United Nations General Assembly would not only be an insult to the Palestinian victims of Israel’s ongoing genocide, but also to persecuted people globally, as well as to anyone advocating for universal human rights and the rule of law. Thousands of children have lost one or both parents, or even their entire family -  their lives changed forever. As we write these words, Israel continues to use starvation as a weapon of war, a clear violation of international law, while Baerbock remains silent - failing for over 18 months to name, condemn, or sanction Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Appointing Annalena Baerbock would represent yet another step in the erosion of the international legal framework and the undermining of the UN  and its different organisations.

We, the undersigned, urge the UNGA to reject Germany's nomination of former Foreign Minister Analena Baerbock as 80th President of the UNGA. Such a decision would send a powerful message: that international law, human rights, and basic human dignity must be upheld—especially in times of rising global conflict and genocide. We are calling for respect for international law, respect for human rights, and respect for shared humanity.

1​

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/2657368-2657368​

2​

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/2679832-2679832

April 24, 2025