EU Clarifies Ambassador Hagemann Did Not Endorse Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Amendment Bill – Eduzim News

By A Correspondent — The European Union (EU) Delegation to Zimbabwe has moved to clarify remarks by the newly accredited EU Ambassador, Katrin Hagemann, after a state-run daily newspaper suggested she supported the country’s proposed constitutional changes.

On February 24, 2026, the newspaper published a report claiming Ambassador Hagemann had validated Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill of 2026 during her first “Meet the Media” session in Harare.

The article cited her statements on global governance norms and referenced her home country, Germany, noting its lack of term limits and former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s long tenure.

The proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill seeks to extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, introduce a parliamentary system for electing the President, and allow voting by Zimbabweans in the diaspora.

The report concluded that the Ambassador appeared to find “nothing amiss” with the amendments. However, the EU Delegation quickly issued a statement to correct what it described as a “misleading interpretation” of the Ambassador’s comments.

“The article did not accurately reflect Ambassador Hagemann’s position,” the EU Delegation said. “Her remarks were intended to reaffirm that constitutional amendments are a sovereign prerogative of the Zimbabwean people, and that such changes must be undertaken in full compliance with the Constitution and the democratic will of the citizens.”

The Delegation emphasized that the Ambassador’s comments were not an endorsement of the bill itself.

“Ambassador Hagemann’s statements were about respecting constitutional processes and democratic legitimacy, not about supporting any specific proposal,” the statement added.

Officials noted that while constitutional reforms are within the rights of any sovereign state, they must adhere strictly to the principles of legality, transparency, and popular consent.

This clarification seeks to separate the EU’s position from local media interpretations and reaffirm that Ambassador Hagemann’s remarks were aimed at highlighting constitutional fidelity rather than political endorsement.

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