Annalena Baerbock vs Ebrahim Raisi

Annalena Baerbock was appointed as German Foreign Minister in the coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. She became the first woman to hold this office, representing the Green Party.

Baerbock was nominated as the Green Party's candidate for Chancellor in the 2021 federal election. She led the party to its best-ever result of 14.8%, though the Greens did not win the chancellorship.

During the 2021 election campaign, Baerbock faced allegations of plagiarism in her book 'Jetzt. Wie wir unser Land erneuern'. The controversy damaged her campaign and raised questions about her academic integrity.

As Foreign Minister, Baerbock advocated for and implemented strong EU sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. She pushed for energy independence from Russia and supported Ukraine militarily and diplomatically.

Raisi was a member of a special commission that ordered the execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988. This event, known as the 1988 Mass Executions, has been widely condemned as a crime against humanity.

Ebrahim Raisi won the 2021 presidential election in a low-turnout vote, succeeding Hassan Rouhani. His victory consolidated hardline control over all branches of government in Iran.

Under Raisi, Iran continued to enrich uranium to near-weapons grade, stalling negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. This led to increased sanctions and tensions with the West.

Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May 2024 in northwestern Iran, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The crash occurred in bad weather, and his death triggered a period of national mourning.