UN Security Council: Germany left empty-handed

Handelsblatt sees Germany’s self-image as a country that enjoys a high level of trust worldwide crumbling:

“Germany of all countries, which likes to lecture the rest of the world on how there is no alternative to liberal Western democracies at every opportunity, is now unwelcome in the Security Council – the very body that, according to the UN Charter, is supposed to ensure peace and international security. This setback lays bare how Germany has overestimated its clout on the international stage. As many experts made clear in the run-up to the vote, the bid for the seat was doomed to fail. … The bitter pill: Germany’s voice carries less weight in the world than many are willing to admit – even though almost everywhere we are among the biggest financial contributors.”