France, US clash over UN rights chief’s second term
The UN General Assembly approved Volker Türk for a second four-year term as High Commissioner for Human Rights (144-10, 13 abstentions), extending his tenure from Oct 2026 to Oct 2030. France immediately attacked the U.S. on social media, accusing Washington of abandoning its human rights leadership and aligning with autocrats after the vote; U.S. envoy Mike Waltz characterized the French attack as a distraction from rights abuses. France’s ambassador defended Türk, while observers noted the rushed process and mixed reactions among member states.
