The Federal Foreign Minister at the Green Party Congress in Bonn: “Let’s show that we are stronger than this war.”
(Photo: REUTERS)
Bonn The Greens had imagined many things differently after taking over government last December. Now they have to make decisions that constantly mean compromises and unreasonable demands. Arms deliveries to Ukraine, reactivated coal-fired power plants, the construction of liquid gas terminals.
And yet there has been no loud resistance from the base so far, including at this federal party conference in the Bonn World Conference Center.
Compared to previous years, the debates are downright harmless. On the other hand, the word “responsibility” runs like a red thread through almost all speeches in Bonn, both among the party leadership and among the delegates. “We accept responsibility,” said party leader Omid Nouripour on Saturday.
Germany must help in the Ukraine war where possible, “because we see that these weapons save lives,” said Nouripour. “I know this is not easy for a peace party, but peace is not easy.”
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The delegates agree – and the majority are in favor of the delivery of more weapons to Ukraine. Several motions criticizing arms sales as a departure from the party’s pacifist tradition were rejected.
Arms Control Act in preparation
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said with regard to the Russian war of aggression, “every day of the war is a catastrophe”. That’s why the Greens take responsibility and don’t duck back, government responsibility isn’t a burden. “We didn’t choose these times, but we can’t say we have nothing to do with that.”
She defended the recent approval of the party in the federal government to supply ammunition for fighter jets to the Islamic kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was highly controversial among the Greens. The approval is a consequence of old contracts in European joint projects, said Baerbock. “We do not deliver directly to Saudi Arabia,” said the former party leader.
The approval for the export was difficult for you and Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck. But she is of the opinion that “we need European armaments cooperation”. Also so that spending on social affairs does not have to be cut in favor of national defense spending. She promised a more restrictive armaments policy for the future.
The Federal Ministry of Economics has drawn up key points for the “arms export control law” agreed in the coalition agreement and intends to coordinate them within the federal government shortly.
>> Read here: Less autocrats, more in crisis areas: How Habeck wants to turn arms exports inside out
At the party congress, the Greens found a compromise on the ammunition deliveries to Saudi Arabia, with which their members of the government continue to have a free hand. Accordingly, the party rejects arms exports to the kingdom, but does not demand the withdrawal of the export license.
The Greens had to find many compromises.
(Photo: IMAGO/Chris Emil Janssen)
There is a need for self-assurance, presumably because it could help to reconcile the tradition of peace policy with the role as the governing party: “We remain a peace party,” calls a delegate into the hall.
Britta Haßelmann, chairwoman of the Greens parliamentary group, said she was proud of this party: “Don’t let yourself be persuaded that we would not do justice to the situation in one place or another.” Of course there are decisions “that we are struggling with”, there are many questions, “but we will face them, in all seriousness”.
But questions remain. The party congress decides on 100 billion euros for additional climate protection investments – without answering how such a demand could be implemented in view of the already high burdens on the budget and the insistence of the coalition partner FDP on the debt brake. A wealth tax to deal with the crisis is also to come – which will also hardly be feasible with the FDP.
Minister of Economics Habeck had a points victory on Friday. The delegates approved his proposal to keep the two southern German nuclear power plants Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim online until spring 2023. “As a minister who is ultimately responsible for security of supply,” Habeck asked for approval.
The dispute within the coalition about the continued operation of the nuclear power plants has not been settled. The FDP demands that the nuclear reactors continue to operate beyond 2023.
More: Greens agree to deploying two nuclear reactors in reserve over the turn of the year