German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier:

Yes, there must be self-criticism and reflection. As I remember it, we have certainly not spared ourselves that.

But the mindless denigration of the Federal Republic, of the reunified democratic state, is a propaganda lie of extremism.

And our country deserves the pride of refusing to accept that — neither from foreign powers that want to divide and weaken us nor from extremists at home who ridicule our democracy. From neither.