Gordan Grlich-Rudman tries to forcefully kiss Annalena Baerbock. (Berlin, November 2, 2023) AFP forum
The two ministers were attending a conference in Berlin on Thursday, November 2, when Gordan Grlich-Radman tried to kiss Analena Baerbock on the cheek without the latter’s consent. Faced with the scale of the controversy, the main stakeholder has since apologized.
Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman wanted to kiss his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock on the cheek, apparently without her consent, during a conference on the enlargement of the European Union organized in Berlin on Thursday, November 2.
Half an apology
The politician actually leaned in to try to kiss her. Then the latter turned his head visibly confused. A scene unacceptable to a Berlin daily The Tageszeitung who called this gesture “pure sexism” and compared it to Luis Rubiales’ forced kiss; “Since the forced kiss scandal at this summer’s Women’s World Cup, everyone should know that it’s better to kiss without a woman (or a man). asking for permission”, we can read on the pages of the newspaper.
An outcry that forced Gordan Grlich-Rudman to apologise. The latter, in fact, explained that he sees in this gesture “a simple warm rapprochement of partners”. Before adding: “We, the ministers, always warmly greet each other. If anyone saw anything wrong with that, I apologize to anyone who took it that way.” He also explained that he didn’t manage to greet Annalena Baerbock earlier because his plane was late. Annalena Baerbock has not commented on the event.
Source: Le Figaro
