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Photo: Chris Emil Janssen / imago images / Chris Emil Janssen
If Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock should take over ministerial posts in the new federal government, the Greens will have to look for new party leaders. Habeck made it clear on Tuesday in an interview with the television broadcaster »Phoenix« that exercising both offices in personal union »is not compatible with our party culture«. A clear separation of posts and functions is stipulated in the Greens' statutes. Members of the federal executive committee may not be part of a government at the same time, in order to prevent the accumulation of power and conflicts of interest.
However, the party had already changed its statutes for Habeck in January 2018, when the then Environment Minister of Schleswig-Holstein was elected co-chair and was allowed to hold both offices for a transitional period of eight months.
According to the current statements, there should be no further amendment request.
For him, "being a minister and party leadership is out of the question," said Habeck.
That is because the party leadership of the Greens is "a backbreaking job" that requires full attention.
Habeck indicated that both he and Baerbock will take up posts "as minister and probably also as minister" in a possible traffic light coalition.
It is open who could follow the two at the head of the Greens.
