(de-news.net) – At the Green Party congress in Hannover, co-chair Felix Banaszak underscored the necessity of combining ecological ambition with social fairness as a central principle of the party’s future strategy. Addressing approximately 800 delegates, he argued that the ecological agenda should not be diluted but rather broadened to include citizens from all social strata through what he described as a participatory ecological approach. He suggested that the decline in public enthusiasm for climate protection could be explained by a series of overlapping crises, including war, the pandemic, and inflation, as well as the persistent influence of fossil fuel lobbying. He insisted that climate policy must be inclusive rather than moralizing, and he urged the party to engage citizens more directly on an emotional level in order to build lasting support.
To advance these objectives, the Greens proposed a socially tiered system of ecological subsidies, including targeted assistance for technologies such as heat pumps, alongside the introduction of a climate dividend designed to benefit lower-income households. They emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges faced by tenants in large urban centers, who often bear disproportionate burdens in the ecological transition. Banaszak criticized the federal government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, claiming that its policies placed excessive emphasis on preserving outdated structures rather than embracing innovation and reform.
The opening day of the congress had already been marked by sharp criticism of the governing coalition. Party chair Franziska Brantner accused the government of overseeing economic stagnation while wealth inequality widened and child poverty remained entrenched. She argued that the consequences of short-term political calculations and insufficient climate action were being shifted onto younger generations. Brantner expressed openness to debates on extending working life and called for structural reforms to the pension system.
The party leadership stressed the importance of reestablishing a clear profile centered on ecological ambition and rebuilding public trust. Delegates adopted resolutions requiring police officers to carry identification and ending statutory health insurance coverage for homeopathic treatments, measures intended to signal a commitment to transparency and evidence-based policy.
The congress had commenced on Friday afternoon, with the party seeking to reposition itself after electoral setbacks and the departure of prominent leaders Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock. Brantner presented a vision of renewal, arguing that past achievements once considered unrealistic demonstrated the potential of bold and ambitious policymaking. She maintained that future progress would depend on integrity, accountability, integrative politics, and digital freedom. The agenda also included debates on racism within security agencies and a proposal by Bundestag member Niklas Wagener to introduce a compulsory social year. While the initiative received support from some regional politicians, it faced strong resistance within the party, reflecting broader divisions over the scope of civic obligations in German society.
