Small party congress of the Greens: “These will be four exhausting years”

It is clear to the Greens – they want to participate in government. But it is also clear that it will not be easy – regardless of the triple constellation. Baerbock and Habeck got their party in the mood for a challenging time.

Around a week after the general election and in the middle of the search for the future government of Germany, the Greens are self-confident. They have become the third strongest force and that is why party leader Annalena Baerbock never tires of emphasizing that this is a “clear mandate” to co-govern – and not as a small partner on the edge, but as a driving force.

“The standstill was voted out,” is how Baerbock sums up the result of the federal election at the small party conference of the Greens in Berlin. Deselected because people would have opted for a different color constellation in the composition of the federal government.

How exactly such a constellation is colored – whether red mixes with green and yellow or rather black remains the leading color – that leaves both Baerbock and her co at the top of the party, Robert Habeck, open.

Baerbock: openness, trust, reliability

For Baerbock it is clear that it is “time for a real departure”. This change is historical. After all, in the history of the Federal Republic there has never been a tripartite alliance at the federal level.

But it is also clear to the Greens – the path to the new government will not be easy. “It gets complicated sometimes,” predicts Baerbock and speaks of “small, responsible steps” that her party must now take. And it makes it clear what framework the talks between the possible coalition partners should have: “Change needs openness.” And reliability, she adds. Conversations should be conducted with respect and trust, internally and not via Twitter messages.

Only then can the goal set, which the State Council of the Greens should also set itself, can be achieved: “To set the right course to create the big picture.”

“Alliances must be possible”

Afterwards Habeck expresses himself much more pragmatically: “You can’t bake election results.” Now there are two options:

Parties that are well trained in finding themselves stupid and have built on it for years to strengthen their opposites continue to find each other stupid – or you can make something out of it.

And the course of the Greens is clear: what to do with it. Because with the general election, from Habeck’s point of view, the term “alliance” was also “reshaped”.

Alliances must be possible between those who do not automatically want the same thing together, think the same, feel the same, eat the same, and sing the same songs.

“Do not remain in ideological hostilities”

Such an alliance could succeed “if we join forces and do not persist in ideological hostilities,” said Habeck. But in addition to the success that the Greens will co-rule, he is also setting his party for “four exhausting years”. Because the cooperation in a government trio will not take place without debates and unreasonable demands. And co-government will not always bring easy changes for the Greens either. “From now on, every crisis is our crisis, every challenge is our challenge,” emphasized Habeck. The Greens would have a say in the future – and would have to justify these decisions. That will shape the party.

Early consultation start

The two party leaders hardly have to justify the fact that they made an early start in the search for a coalition. Because actually only the state council of the Greens gives the official order for the exploration and determines the composition of the exploration team.

And the delegates should clarify which of their core issues the party should push as a possible coalition partner and where compromises could be made. The main proposal for the meeting speaks of the “clear mandate” to “take responsibility for shaping the country and to form a progressive government”. “We cannot allow it to continue like this. The next federal government must be a climate government.”

Before the election, the Greens and Liberals tended to be on a confrontational course. But now – with the traffic light coalition in mind – the U-turn is coming. Both sides focus on rapprochement and endeavor to intensively search for as many similarities as possible. It sounded like that after the meeting on Friday. Then there was talk of bridges that should be built to one another, of a good atmosphere and a good start.

But there is still a lot to be done before the green and yellow content-related contrast program can be brought to a common consensus. FDP leader Christian Lindner also made it clear after the first consultations that there are still “divisions” and “undoubtedly differences”.

Talks with the SPD planned for Sunday

But before the building of bridges between the Greens and the FDP can continue, talks with the Social Democrats are pending at both parties. They are pushing for a quick coalition to be formed and want to lay the foundation for it on Sunday. But from Sunday the Union will also be involved in soliciting the necessary allies. A meeting with the FDP is scheduled for the evening. The Christian Democrats will meet with the Greens on Tuesday.