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 Thuringia and Brandenburg state elections. This decision comes amidst a time of political turbulence for the ruling coalition, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz facing economic challenges and contentious debates over migration ahead of next year’s national election.
Nouripour acknowledged that the party is facing its deepest crisis in a decade, leading to the decision to pass the leadership on to new faces for strategic reorientation before the upcoming national poll. The Greens, born out of environmental and anti-nuclear activism in the 1970s, have historically been part of national governments led by the Social Democratic Party.
While the leadership change does not directly impact the government, analysts warn of potential political instability. Deputy Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will remain in their roles, and Habeck has taken responsibility for the poor election results, calling for a reorganization of the party ranks.
Despite the challenges, outgoing co-leader Lang emphasized the importance of adapting to a changing political landscape and focusing on climate neutrality in the upcoming election. The Greens are expected to elect new leaders at a party conference in mid-November, with a renewed focus on regaining public support for their policies.
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