Two candidates: Greens parliamentary group elects new dual leadership

The Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag today determine a new dual leadership. Katharina Dröge and Britta Haßelmann applied. Both are the only candidates so far.

Britta Haßelmann mostly keeps calm. But it can also be done differently: “Anyone who thinks they can present us here in Parliament has to get up earlier, ladies and gentlemen.” The parliamentary manager of the Greens wedges against the AfD. If it sees democracy and parliamentarism in danger, there is no stopping it.

“I am a parliamentarian with heart and soul, and I have a lot of experience to bring with me from my work as parliamentary manager,” says Haßelmann.

Haßelmann’s task: Bringing greens into line.

The 59-year-old has organized the parliamentary operations of the Greens for the past eight years: Who cares about which topic? Who is speaking in a debate? It’s a job with a huge impact. Haßelmann makes him conceivably unpretentious, but resolute. Some MPs warn only half-jokingly: Don’t mess with Britta!

Haßelmann’s job would be to bring the Greens into line. With 118 members, the group is bigger than ever. And she is younger than ever.

Haßelmann: “Look at the people”

The newcomers to the Bundestag have big plans. Now they may have to submit to a parliamentary group discipline so that the majority of the traffic lights are in the vote. Disappointments are inevitable. This is where Haßelmann’s learned profession could help: social worker.

“That always helps, I would say, in the Bundestag, in the committee, at work and in the parliamentary group. I think the view of people and the ability to integrate are very important.”

Domestic politician Irene Mihalic wants to take over Haßelmann’s previous job as parliamentary group manager. She would then be the third woman from North Rhine-Westphalia to head the parliamentary group – next to Haßelmann and Katharina Dröge.

Dröge: “Building bridges and declaring compromises”

The 37-year-old Dröge from Cologne holds a degree in economics and was most recently an economic politician in her parliamentary group. “I have always moved in the area of ​​tension of being able to explain the green climate and environmental policy to the economy – but also the economic prospects of my party. Being able to build bridges and explain compromises is something I believe I have the skills to do. “

Dröge belongs to the left wing of the party – and would take over the job from Anton Hofreiter. The Upper Bavarian does not run again after eight years as parliamentary group leader. To the end he had hoped to become a minister in a traffic light government. The green tip gave preference to Cem Özdemir.

Personnel decisions: some disappointments

The decision caused tremendous unrest among the Greens. The Bundestag member Konstantin von Notz considers this to be normal in such a phase. “Wherever you look: there are always disappointments. Toni Hofreiter and Katrin Göring-Eckardt make me very sorry that the proceedings did not succeed in getting everyone under one roof.”

Hofreiter could now take over the chairmanship of a Bundestag committee. Göring-Eckardt is probably hoping to become Vice President of the Bundestag. As the successor to Claudia Roth. She is moving to the Chancellery as Minister of State for Culture.

“Teamwork with different views”

Haßelmann wants to leave the discussion about the personnel behind him soon: “When we get down to work, it is so that a lot of common ground, a lot of teamwork with different views can be lived.”

Opinions are also likely to differ as to who in the group goes to which committee. So the Greens still have to cope with a few disappointments.

The FDP parliamentary group also elects a new chairman

In the Liberals, the financial expert Christian Dürr is to be the successor to parliamentary group leader Christian Lindner, who is moving to the head of the Ministry of Finance. Lindner had suggested the 44-year-old Lower Saxony. Dürr said: “There are important tasks ahead of us because parliament is of particular importance in these times.”