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Change of leadership in the Greens:
“The new party leadership is becoming less important – but not unimportant”
Ricarda Lang and Omid Nouripour take over the presidency of the Greens.
This shifts the power structures: The new bosses have to play a different role than Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck.
Ricarda Lang, Chairwoman of the Greens:
»Yes, I accept the election.
Thank you very much, I accept the choice, I can't believe it.«
Omid Nouripour, Chairman of the Greens:
"Dear friends, thank you very much for this great trust, which of course obliges."
The Greens have two new party leaders.
Ricarda Lang and Omid Nouripour take over from Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck.
At the digital party congress, Lang was elected by around 76 percent and Nouripour by 82 percent of the delegates.
Baerbock and Habeck got more than 90 percent last time.
So is the result a disappointment?
We have to remember that the Greens are not actually a party that has 90 percent results. Results around 80 are actually good. Robert Habeck had 81 percent in his first unopposed election. Annalena Baerbock had 64 percent, but at the time with an opposing candidate. So therefore: This is a solid result. That's a good result for him, I would say. They can definitely build on that.
Lang is currently infected with Corona and gave her application speech from isolation, Nouripour spoke on stage.
And both made it clear how happy they are about their party's new role.
Omid Nouripour, leader of the Greens:
"It was so long overdue that we finally govern.
It won't be a sure-fire success, but I'm so keen on it.«
Ricarda Lang, Chairwoman of the Greens:
"Government isn't a punishment, it's a huge opportunity."
Baerbock and Habeck had already said goodbye on Friday, after four years at the top of the party.
Robert Habeck, Economics and Climate Minister Die Grünen:
"One last time we're standing here next to each other as party leaders, and that's really a strange moment, for many reasons, you have to say that."
It seemed a bit like the end of an era.
But what exactly is changing now?
First of all, there is a clear difference in content between the old and the new party leadership.
Valerie Höhne, DER SPIEGEL:
»Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck were both Realos.
Ricarda Lang belongs to the left wing of the party, Omid Nouripour belongs to the Real party wing.
He is a foreign politician, a very distinguished foreign politician and I think that they will also be divided up in the federal party along these lines of focus.«
But with the change, fundamentals in the structures of the party are also shifting.
Baerbock and Habeck were the clear center of power for the Greens.
But now the party is part of the government - and the new leaders must play a different role than their predecessors.
Valerie Höhne, DER SPIEGEL:
“The party leadership is becoming a little less important, but not unimportant.
Above all, the new task will be to act as a hinge between a faction that still has to get used to governing, together with the leadership of the faction between the grassroots, which also has to get used to governing, who want to govern, but they do still holds on to their old values.
And of course between the government, which has to make realpolitik decisions, which are also tough.«
Especially Lang made it clear that she is aware of the challenge.
Ricarda Lang, Chairwoman of the Greens:
"And that's what I stand for, in order to achieve something in the tension between a party that wants to change something and the reality of a government.
For these people and for this planet.
I'm willing to endure a difficult situation.
I'm willing to work hard for that."
But what is the long-term future for the Greens under Lang and Nouripour?
Four months ago, the federal elections brought the party into government, but not into the chancellery as hoped.
Now both candidates made it clear how the further course should look like.
Valerie Höhne, DER SPIEGEL:
»He made it very clear again that he would like to play a part in the K question in the next federal election.
I think that's very important for the party.«
Omid Nouripour, Chairman of the Greens:
»I am applying to be able to contribute my experience – together with a woman as strong and clever as Ricarda.
We will rework the election campaign together to be even more successful next time.
And to create structures that enable us to play our part again in the K-question with unity and with the successes that we will achieve.«
Valerie Höhne, DER SPIEGEL:
»And she also addressed all citizens at the end.«
Ricarda Lang, Chairwoman of the Greens:
»Dear citizens, this also applies to you, it applies to all of us.
The task ahead of us to tackle this climate crisis is too big for any party to do alone, too big for any government to do alone.
For that we need you.
We need the whole of society for that.«
Valerie Höhne, DER SPIEGEL:
»Of course, that was also a total signal towards the People's Party.
They made that clear before, and now they've made that clear again.
We can count on that here.«
(Video)