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Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck before their appearance on the market square in Hildesheim
Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
At the start of the election campaign in Hildesheim, the Greens reaffirmed their will to govern. It was a somewhat "rough road," said the federal executive director of the Greens, Michael Kellner, who is also the party's head of the election campaign, in Hildesheim on Monday. Nevertheless, his party had never been 20 percent in the polls before a federal election. "We want to make the improbable possible and lead the next government," said Kellner.
One of the core demands of this government is a new ministry. The co-party leaders Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck reaffirmed their demand for a climate protection ministry in Hildesheim.
Politicians must set the "guard rails" for climate neutrality, said Chancellor candidate Baerbock.
Since the Paris climate conference in 2015 "many years have been wasted," she criticized the grand coalition.
Habeck said that the climate protection ministry that his party is aiming for is "not a destructive ministry, on the contrary."
The Ministry should "not always just veto," said Habeck.
It should have the right to sign all drafts for the federal cabinet.
A »Klima-Tüv« should be in front of it.
If a law does not adequately protect the climate, it can still be modified, said Habeck.
Baerbock said it was about a "precautionary policy" so as not to slide straight into the next crisis.
"If we wait, these extreme weather events will increase," warned the Chancellor candidate with a view to the flood disaster in Germany.
With an open-air event on the Hildesheim market square, Baerbock and co-party leader Robert Habeck started a nationwide election campaign on Monday.
"Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck - they have a murder tour ahead of them," said Kellner.
“The next seven weeks, that's what counts.” His party wanted to do better in the federal elections at the end of September than it is currently in the polls.
"That's not enough for us, we want to add something."
muk / dpa