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Annalena Baerbock at the party conference
Photo: Kay Nietfeld / picture alliance / dpa
After her official freestyle as Chancellor candidate of the Greens, Annalena Baerbock spoke about her own mistakes of the past weeks - and appreciated the "full solidarity" on the part of her party.
“Thank you very much for this tailwind,” said the 40-year-old in her speech at the digital party congress of the Greens, “especially after the headwinds of recent weeks.
Where, above all, I made mistakes that made me madly annoyed. "
Shortly before, the party leader had received a brilliant vote.
In a single vote on Saturday, 678 of 688 online delegates supported the candidate and the duo of the two party leaders Baerbock and Robert Habeck as an election campaign team.
Both received 98.5 percent of the vote.
The decision to vote on the candidate for chancellor and the top duo as a package at the party congress was made in mid-April.
At the same time, the party executive nominated Baerbock as candidate for chancellor.
In the weeks that followed, Baerbock itself and the Green Party went up a notch and in the meantime even outperformed the Union in surveys.
Recently, however, Baerbock's personal values also collapsed.
The Green politician had to admit mistakes several times.
It first became known that she had subsequently reported special payments to the Bundestag.
Then misleading information in their résumé had to be corrected.
Baerbock was then violently attacked.
Critics complained that their credibility is at risk.
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"For the first time in decades, real change is in the air"
In her party congress speech, Baerbock was now combative - and harshly criticized the incumbent federal government: "In recent years, government policy in Germany has been on autopilot," she said.
Politics was what seemed feasible.
She called for fundamental changes and reforms.
There should be no more excuses now, said the party leader, also "no ducking away, no muddling through."
Change creates stability.
"We are fighting for a new departure," emphasized the 40-year-old.
"For us, politics is primarily about what we make possible." The election campaign is a duel with the Union.
"For the first time in decades, real change is in the air," said Baerbock at the end of her 40-minute speech.
“Now is the time to renew our country.
And everything is in there. "
The Greens are running for the first time with their own candidate for Chancellor in the federal election.
In order to actually get a chance at the office of the head of government in the end, they are dependent on approval from outside their core electorate.
In her speech, Baerbock specifically tried to win over people outside of her own "bubble".
When she says “we”, she doesn't just mean the members of her own party, but “by 'we' I mean every citizen,” emphasized the candidate for chancellor.
"To serve the good of all - that is our compass."
Above all stands the great task of our time: averting the climate crisis.
"But we as a society have to trust ourselves to do that," says Baerbock.
“I stand for this confidence.
We stand up for this confidence to solve problems, protect people and do better in the future. "
The 40-year-old aimed for a broad social consensus, especially when it came to climate protection.
Only if everyone were taken along, "will the alliances for climate protection be stronger than the alliances against." She also responded to criticism that the Greens, in their efforts to achieve more climate protection, are losing sight of the needs of certain population groups.
Critics also often accuse the “eco party” of lacking economic competence.
Baerbock now proposed a "pact" to industry.
It is about the binding agreement that the state will reimburse them for the additional costs they would have to pay in order to operate in a climate-neutral manner: "Instead of preventing and fending off, I want to enable."
Skepticism about political competition
CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak expressed criticism of the Greens program.
"The Greens are not relying on fair social equilibrium and new economic strength, but on social benefits absorbing all the consequences of their policies," says Ziemiak of the "Rheinische Post".
"But now it comes down to a powerful policy that triggers a dynamic towards more prosperity and climate protection."
SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil congratulated Annalena Baerbock on her party's election as Chancellor candidate.
"The election controversy is now starting, the race is open," he told the "Rheinische Post" and added: "New policy as an insubstantial formula - that will not be enough.
Wherever the Greens get involved, they lose support. "
Fok / AFP / dpa / Reuters /
