.
Leipzig (German news agency) – The former federal spokeswoman for Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Marianne Birthler, sees the Greens in East Germany in a difficult situation, even 30 years after unification with the West Greens. “The Greens in East Germany are on the right track, but much weaker compared to the West,” she told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Saturday edition) with a view to the association’s anniversary celebrations on Saturday evening in Leipzig.
“It might be like that for a while.” In the 1990s, Birthler added that “green policy proposals were something very alien to East Germany.” For many people it was true: “First we want the economic miracle, then we vote green.” Societies in East and West are still different today. According to Birthler, the AfD’s fight against the Greens also plays a role. The spokeswoman for the East regional group in the Greens parliamentary group, Paula Piechotta, said: “We fell into a hole in the 1990s because we had one of the weakest partners in the West and could not fall back on block party structures.” Another problem was the emigration of many young, well-educated women. “We miss you in the East to this day.” Now the party is “struggling to get out of the hole again,” says Piechotta. She emphasized that not only the rural regions, but also the urban centers shaped East Germany. “The Greens in the east will be better off the better off the east is overall,” said Piechotta.
HOME PAGE