The co-leaders of Germany’s Greens party, Omid Nouripour and Ricarda Lang, have announced their resignation following the party’s failure to meet the five percent threshold in recent Thuringia and Brandenburg state polls. This decision comes amidst a challenging time for the coalition government, facing economic concerns and debates over migration with a national election approaching next year.
Nouripour called the party’s current situation its deepest crisis in a decade and stated that it was time to pass the party’s fate to others. Lang emphasized the need for new leadership to guide the party through a strategic reorientation before the national election.
The Greens, originally born out of environmental and anti-nuclear movements in the 1970s, have been part of past national governments led by the Social Democratic Party. While the leadership change does not directly impact the current government, it could lead to increased political instability.
Deputy Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will remain in office, but the party faces the challenge of regaining support and adapting to a changed political landscape. Habeck acknowledged shared responsibility for the election results and called for a discussion on the party’s future at the upcoming congress in mid-November.
Outgoing co-leader Lang highlighted the importance of the next election, framing it as a choice between a focus on climate neutrality for prosperity or a regression from environmental commitments. The Greens aim to regroup and showcase their renewed energy in the lead-up to the national election.
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