Parties - Greens in NRW want to prove reliability
The Greens must prove reliability after their setback in the European election, according to the words of the North Rhine-Westphalia state chairman Tim Achtermeyer. Apparently, people felt that the Greens wanted change as an end in itself - "or even worse: a culture war," said Achtermeyer on Saturday at the NRW Greens party conference in Oberhausen.
It's not about gender issues for the Greens, but the everyday concerns of people are decisive. Young couples failed in family planning because they couldn't find an affordable housing, commuters failed due to bus connections in the countryside, and parents failed due to unreliable kindergarten places.
Achtermeyer called for reform of the debt brake in the federal government again, because the current budget rules force the country to save where it currently hits poorer people disproportionately hard. The rules of the debt brake are no longer in line with the situation in Europe due to the war, inflation, and geopolitical circumstances. A broad coalition of the economy and businesses also calls for the reform. Without a relaxation of the debt rules, investments will be blocked and the cohesion of the country will be endangered.
Achtermeyer and co-state chairman Yazgülü Zeybek presented themselves for re-election at the party conference. In the European election on June 9, the Greens in NRW were 10 points lower at 13.5 percent compared to the 2019 election. The Greens have been coalition partners of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2022.
Around 40 peace activists demonstrated in front of the event hall in Oberhausen against German arms deliveries to Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia, and demanded negotiations. The traffic light coalition involving the Greens contributes to the dangerous escalation spiral, they criticized.
Info on the party conference
At the party conference, Alliance 90/The Greens in Germany, led by Tim Achtermeyer and Yazgülü Zeybek, discussed their performance in the European elections. Despite being coalition partners with the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2022, the Greens saw a 10-point drop in NRW, achieving 13.5% compared to the 2019 election. Achtermeyer expressed concerns about the Greens being perceived as prioritizing change for its own sake, or even fostering a culture war.
Achtermeyer emphasized the importance of addressing everyday issues, such as affordable housing, reliable bus connections, and affordable childcare, in order to regain public trust. He also voiced support for reforming the debt brake in the federal government, arguing that current budget rules disproportionately impact poorer individuals and hinder investments, which could threaten the country's cohesion.
During the conference, there were protests outside the event hall in Oberhausen by peace activists who objected to German arms deliveries to Ukraine, accusing the coalition involving the Greens of contributing to an escalating conflict.
