Monday, June 7th, 2021
“Disappointed with Saxony-Anhalt”
Habeck also sees reason for Miniplus in himself
The election in Saxony-Anhalt downgraded the Greens to the level of a small party. Party leader Habeck admits that it was also mistakes at the federal level that led to the disappointment. Even the single topic of climate protection is probably not enough to become number one in autumn, he says.
Green leader Robert Habeck has shown disappointment with the performance of his party in the election in Saxony-Anhalt. The Greens had “of course hopes and expectations” that the growth would be “a little stronger”, he said in Berlin. Habeck added that he did not want to hide the fact that the past three weeks “were certainly not a tailwind” for the election campaigners in Saxony-Anhalt.
Most recently there had been negative headlines for the Greens because of inconsistencies in the curriculum vitae of co-party leader and Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock. In addition, the party came off badly in the debate about higher gasoline prices in the course of climate protection efforts. Some discussions at the federal level would “certainly not have helped the Greens in Saxony-Anhalt,” said Habeck. He spoke of “shortcomings” and “small mistakes” in his party.
But now we have to look ahead, emphasized Habeck. One lesson from Saxony-Anhalt is that his party has to deal “intensively” with issues beyond climate protection, in particular services of general interest and infrastructure. Another important topic is a “functioning state” in which applications, for example, are processed quickly. There is also the social question: With a view to greening, digitization and globalization, society must be given “socio-political trust”.
Survey high clearly missed
It is true that climate protection is “the mega-topic for the next decade,” said Habeck. The reduction of CO2 emissions to a point at which no more greenhouse gases would be emitted or can be bound again will be “an enormous political effort”. “It needs a large majority. This majority did not exist in Saxony-Anhalt.” After all, people would have to be given social security who would not benefit from a more ecological policy but, for example, lose their job. Habeck announced that all of these issues would be taken up at the party congress next weekend. With the event, the Greens wanted to underline “why we are fighting for one in Germany,” he said with a view to the general election.
In the state elections, the Greens had only gained slightly. At 5.9 percent, they are the smallest of six parliamentary groups in the newly elected state parliament in Magdeburg. In surveys, they were at nine percent at times.
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