Alliance 90/The Greens

Alliance 90/The Greens
source
Name	Alliance 90/The Greens
Native name	Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
Foundation	1993 (merger)
Ideology	Green politics, Progressivism
Position	Centre-left
International	Global Greens
European	European Green Party
Colours	Green
Seats1 title	Bundestag
Seats1	118, 736
Seats2 title	European Parliament
Seats2	21, 705
Country	Germany

Alliance 90/The Greens. It is a major political party in Germany, formed from the 1993 merger of the West German Greens and the East German Alliance 90 citizens' movements. The party champions green politics, social justice, and progressive reforms, and has served as a junior coalition partner in federal governments led by both the Social Democratic Party of Germany and the Christian Democratic Union of Germany. It is a founding member of the European Green Party and the Global Greens.

History

The party's origins lie in the new social movements of the 1970s and 1980s, including the anti-nuclear movement, the peace movement, and environmental activism. The West German Greens, founded in 1980, first entered the Bundestag in 1983. In East Germany, opposition groups like New Forum and Democracy Now formed Alliance 90 during the Peaceful Revolution of 1989-1990. Following German reunification, the two entities merged, with key early figures including Petra Kelly, Joschka Fischer, and Ludger Volmer. A landmark moment was the party's participation in the federal government from 1998 to 2005, where Joschka Fischer served as Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister, notably opposing the Iraq War. After a period in opposition, the party returned to government in the Scholz cabinet following the 2021 German federal election.

Ideology and political positions

The party's platform is fundamentally anchored in ecological modernization and combating the climate crisis, advocating for a rapid transition to renewable energy and a phase-out of coal and other fossil fuels. Its socio-economic policies emphasize a balance between ecological sustainability and social market economy, supporting investments in public transportation, cycling infrastructure, and digital infrastructure. In foreign policy, it traditionally promotes multilateralism, a strong European Union, human rights, and a values-based approach, while maintaining support for NATO. Key internal debates have historically centered on issues like military deployments and the pace of the Energiewende.

Organization and structure

The party is organized with a strong emphasis on grassroots democracy and federal structures. The supreme decision-making body is the Federal Party Conference (Bundesdelegiertenkonferenz), which elects the dual leadership. The current co-leaders are Omid Nouripour and Ricarda Lang. The party's youth wing is the Green Youth, and it is associated with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, which conducts political education and research. The parliamentary group in the Bundestag is led by Britta Haßelmann and Katharina Dröge, while its delegation in the European Parliament is part of the Greens–European Free Alliance group.

Electoral performance

The party's electoral support has grown significantly, particularly among urban, younger, and highly educated voters. It achieved its best federal result to date in the 2021 German federal election, winning 14.8% of the vote and becoming the third-largest party in the Bundestag. It has been a consistent force in state parliaments (Landtage), often participating in coalition governments with the Social Democratic Party of Germany or the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, such as in Baden-Württemberg where Winfried Kretschmann has served as Minister-President since 2011. In the 2019 European election, it finished second nationally.

Leadership

Leadership has traditionally been shared by two co-chairs, one often from the more pragmatic Realos (realist) wing and one from the fundamentalist Fundis (fundamentalist) wing, though this distinction has largely dissolved. Prominent historical leaders include Petra Kelly, Joschka Fischer, and Jürgen Trittin. Recent co-leaders have included Annalena Baerbock, who was the party's first candidate for Chancellor of Germany in 2021 and now serves as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Robert Habeck, who serves as Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The current parliamentary co-leaders are Britta Haßelmann and Katharina Dröge.

International affiliations

The party is a founding and leading member of the European Green Party, which coordinates green parties across Europe and forms the Greens–European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament. Globally, it is a member of the Global Greens, the international network of green parties and political movements. The party maintains close ties with other green parties worldwide, such as Europe Écologie Les Verts in France and the Green Party of England and Wales, and its foundation, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, has offices across the globe to foster political dialogue.

Category:Political parties in Germany Category:Green political parties Category:1993 establishments in Germany