Islamabad, June 4, 2025: Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has been elected as the President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled to commence this September.
She will take over the role from current Assembly President Philemon Yang, who offered his sincere congratulations.
Baerbock became a candidate in March, just as she was preparing to leave her post as foreign minister after Germany’s parliamentary elections in February. She replaced diplomat Helga Schmid, who had been nominated for the UN role the previous year.
Russia however opposed the change, saying “Baerbock has repeatedly proved her incompetence, extreme bias and lack of understanding of the basic principles of diplomacy.”
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“The decision of the authorities in Berlin to push through her candidacy… is no less than spitting in the face of the world organization and showing a blatant disregard for it,” Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said in May.
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During Monday’s secret ballot, Annalena Baerbock secured 167 votes, while 14 nations chose to abstain and 7 cast their votes for Schmid.
“As the President of the General Assembly, I will engage in a trust-based dialogue with all Member States,” Baerbrock said after the election. “My door will always be open for everyone.”
