On 3 June 2026, the UN General Assembly will elect the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2027–2028 term. Germany is running with the ambition of placing conflict prevention, crisis management, and climate security at the center of its foreign policy.
This is both correct and important. However, anyone seeking to uphold the multilateral system, international humanitarian law, and the protection of civilians must apply these principles consistently—even when doing so is politically inconvenient.
Yet in the context of the Gaza war in particular, the impression has emerged that double standards are being applied. While Germany has repeatedly called on others worldwide to exercise restraint and protect civilians, the federal government has been slow to draw clear political consequences from serious violations of international law in relation to Israel’s conduct of the war. Attacks on civilian infrastructure, the blockade of humanitarian aid, and the immense suffering of the Palestinian population require not only a humanitarian response but also a far clearer political stance from Berlin.
Against this backdrop, the significant cuts to budgets for development cooperation and humanitarian assistance appear contradictory. At a time of growing global crises, such measures send a damaging signal. Locally rooted organizations such as Welthungerhilfe see every day how crucial reliable international support is for systematically combating hunger, preventing crises, and delivering rapid assistance to people in need. The government’s commitment to peace and security cannot be credibly upheld if the financial foundations required to sustain it are steadily eroded.
These contradictions are not without international consequences. The federal government’s capacity to act in foreign policy and its ability to exert influence are increasingly at stake.
Candidacy should not be treated as a prestige project
In recent years, Germany has taken on important international roles—for example in the UN Peacebuilding Commission and as host of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial. Many partner countries, particularly in the Global South, therefore rightly expect Germany to apply and consistently defend the principles it demands of others. If this expectation is not met, and if funding for international cooperation is simultaneously reduced, trust, political partnerships, and the ability to build bridges are all put at risk.
A candidacy for the UN Security Council should therefore not be treated as a prestige project. It requires political credibility. This includes clearly naming violations of international humanitarian law—regardless of who commits them—and consistently advocating ceasefires, humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, and strong international legal mechanisms.
The federal government has a responsibility to live up to this standard—without exceptions and without double standards. When it seeks support in New York at the beginning of June for a seat on the Security Council, it will be judged accordingly.
This op-ed first appeared on table.media on 29 May 2026.
