As of: April 7, 2024, 2:02 p.m
By: Hannes Niemeyer
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The Greens and the K question: Will Robert Habeck run for the chancellorship in 2025 – or will Annalena Baerbock again? The party is heading for a power struggle.
Berlin – Robert Habeck, Germany's real crisis chancellor? As controversial as he is, he is always celebrated when he shows up while Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains silent. When Hamas invaded Israel, someone stood in front of the camera and addressed the population: Robert Habeck. When the farmers announced their blockade of Berlin, it was Habeck again who addressed the people with a message. And at Easter Habeck also gave a video warning of the danger posed by Russia and Vladimir Putin. What people like about it: He appears forceful and clear - but at the same time self-critical and sensitive and therefore approachable.
No matter how great the criticism of the Economics Minister was because of the heating law, Habeck is regularly praised and celebrated for his appearances, messages and videos in critical or difficult situations. He is also in a much better position among business associations than Scholz, for example. The Vice Chancellor was therefore regularly described as a real crisis chancellor. As the one who steps in when the Chancellor remains silent. And soon also as the one who could challenge the Union, which is strong in the polls, for the office of a possible candidate for chancellor Friedrich Merz?
Is there a threat of a major Green power struggle now? Baerbock and Habeck are both keen on the Chancellery
In any case, the race for the Greens' next candidate for chancellor is now gaining momentum. Habeck not only presents himself every now and then like a possible Federal Chancellor. He apparently also has concrete plans to enter the race as the top candidate for the upcoming federal election. According to reports, he is also in pole position within the party for the job. If it weren't for Annalena Baerbock. A power struggle is brewing.
Baerbock or Habeck? On the K issue, the Greens are threatened with a power struggle. © dpa | Michael Kappeler + dpa | Britta Pedersen
Although Baerbock didn't exactly cut the best figure in the 2021 Bundestag election campaign, she is certainly partly responsible for the fact that her party only got 14.8 percent in the end - and that after the surveys had promised even more a few months in advance. As
Bild am Sonntag (BamS)
now reports, citing party insiders, the Foreign Minister is making no move to forego running for chancellor again. And that could cause internal party differences.
“Robert thinks it’s his turn”: Habeck wants to lead the Greens in the 2025 federal election campaign
Habeck “makes it clear with every appearance that he absolutely wants to become a candidate for chancellor,”
BamS
quotes an unnamed Green Party insider as saying. Within the party, Robert Habeck “leaves no doubt that he definitely has the confidence to win the Chancellery and beat Scholz and Merz.” And a possible internal party dispute? According to the source, it seems to be less of a problem for Habeck: “Robert thinks it’s his turn.”
Everything in the Green Party screams of a struggle for power. And that would not only affect Habeck and Baerbock, but also other big names in the party. For example, parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann is considered a prominent supporter of Baerbock. Habeck, on the other hand, is said to have party leader Omid Nouripour and Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann behind him.
Baerbock and Habeck in the K-Question race – member voting possible for the Greens
So are the Greens heading head-on towards a party crisis? A dispute between Baerbock and Habeck would certainly have little positive effect on the party's popularity ratings. Therefore, there should already be considerations for a peaceful solution. If both really want to compete, then a member vote would be possible. According to BamS, work is already underway on a way to communicate this. There are voices within the Greens who see the resulting attention as a positive upswing.
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However, there are also opposing voices who fear that a public power struggle would harm the party. According to the report, there is already a favorite for the mediator role so that a fight between the chancellor candidates doesn't even break out: Cem Özdemir. He is considered a confidant of Habeck since he made him a minister in the Scholz cabinet instead of Anton Hofreiter. Özdemir is also said to have a good relationship with Annalena Baerbock, not least because the Foreign Minister supported the plan to make Özdemir a minister.
Habeck or Baerbock? The Greens will make a decision on the K issue this year
Whether there will actually be an open power struggle remains to be seen. Habeck has long since initiated the start of the election campaign, at least with his appearances. And a decision shouldn't be too far away. The party wants to have clearly communicated who will be the top candidate in the race in 2025 by the end of the year at the latest.
The K question is also still uncertain for the Union. In addition to Friedrich Merz, the names Hendrik Wüst and Markus Söder also come up again and again.
(han)