As part of the traffic light coalition, the Greens have made compromises that contradict their own values. The party base is now taking exception to this in an incendiary letter – and is calling for more dialogue.
The federal party conference of Bündnis90/Die Grünen begins in Karlsruhe in a week. Now parts of the party base are writing in an open letter ARD capital studio present, their dissatisfaction with the party leadership. “Back to the Greens” is the title of the letter, which around 500 members of the party had signed by Wednesday evening.
The letter criticizes the fact that the Greens in the traffic light coalition have made a number of compromises that contradict their own moral and political principles. Elina Schumacher from the state executive committee of the Green Youth in Berlin, who was one of the first to sign the letter, highlights the Greens’ basic values in terms of climate protection and migration and is outraged by a government and, to some extent, a parliamentary group “that appears to be completely contrary acts”.
“Advertising agency for bad compromises”
The letter says: Two years ago there was hope that the Greens would finally be a party in government “that takes the climate crisis seriously, advances values-based migration policy and really makes a difference.” But for the authors of the letter, the Green Party’s politics are associated with a series of disappointments.
They explicitly name the decision to excavate the lignite mining town of Lützerath in North Rhine-Westphalia, the 100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr, the Green approval of the reform of the European asylum system and the basic child welfare, “which will effectively not help any child out of poverty.”
Although the writers of the open letter understand that compromises were necessary in a coalition, they were “shocked” that the Green side sold these as successes.
In the letter they formulate a sharp judgment: “Sometimes it seems to us as if the Greens have turned from a party for real change into an advertising agency for bad compromises.” Sometimes people talk about an “SPD-ization of the Greens” and what they mean is that the Greens at the federal level seem like a party that supports everything in order to govern.
Letter writer concerned about criticism from fellow campaigners
The writers of the letter are also concerned that the Greens are being criticized “increasingly loudly” by trade unions, the climate and environmental movement, migrant organizations and others. The party has always fought for change together with these associations, clubs and initiatives.
The Greens’ treatment of their own members is also disappointing. It seems to the signatories more and more often “as if there is no longer any room for criticism or constructive debates.” Appropriate criticism often falls flat. It doesn’t bring any noticeable changes.
Demand for a return to more Grassroots democracy
The letter formulates two clear demands. On the one hand, the party’s fundamental decisions, especially the basic program, should be political guidelines for the federal association. In addition, the party base should be more involved. When it comes to groundbreaking decisions, people would like to have a say beforehand, rather than the members being moderated afterwards.
The incendiary letter becomes public exactly one week before the start of the federal party conference in Karlsruhe. Above all, it should help to network like-minded people within the party, says Elina Schumacher from the Green Youth Berlin. In the context of the evacuation of the brown coal mining town of Lützerath in North Rhine-Westphalia, she was one of the initiators of an open letter to the Green Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Robert Habeck and his North Rhine-Westphalian counterpart Mona Neubauer.
In addition, the message goes out to the federal executive board to say: “Hey, but we are dissatisfied. Let’s talk about it.” At the party conference, the Greens want to address, among other things, migration policy and the election program for next year’s European elections.
The open letter from the base suggests that there are controversial debates about the party’s self-image.