Navalny: in Germany, critical voices demand an end to Russian gas dependence

Russian opponent Alexei Navalny.

REUTERS

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2 min

Should Germany review its Russian policy in response to the poisoning of opponent Alexei Navalny?

Part of the press and the political class are starting to demand it.

The dependence on Russian gas is particularly criticized.

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With our correspondent in Berlin,

Nathalie Versieux

Between condemnation and political distancing, Germany's Russian policy is a balancing act,

due to energy dependence.

The Federal Republic is in fact dependent on Russian gas, and since WIlly Brandt and his “ostpolitik” of the 1970s, relations with Russia have been dominated by the slogan of normalization, a line taken up by the successors of Willy Brandt. , whether they are called Helmut Kohl, Gerhard Schröder or Angela Merkel.

But this line is more and more contested in Germany since the annexation of Crimea and the multiplication of poisonings of opponents to Vladimir Poutine.

Now, one of Angela Merkel's potential successors, Norbert Röttgen, a Christian Democratic Party diplomacy specialist, is calling on Germany to end its dependence on Russian gas.

The same demands were made for Wolfgang Ischinger, the chairman of the Munich security conference.

The debate, which promises to be virulent, is launched.

Numerous Russian lobbies are at work in the country, in business circles as well as within political parties, from the extreme right to the Social Democrats, including the conservatives, notably Bavarians.

► Read also: Berlin says it has proof that Navalny was poisoned in Novichok

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  • Germany

  • Russia

  • Diplomacy

  • Energies

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