Tübingen's City Mayor - Palmer suggests reuniting with the Greens benefits everyone.
A year after Boris Palmer's exit from the Greens, there's been a hint of reconciliation between him and the party. Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir is open to the idea of Palmer rejoining under specific conditions. He mentioned this at a Zeit publishing group event in Hamburg, stating, "People should never be discarded - that should be rare."
For Palmer to return, Özdemir noted, "I'd be delighted if he said, 'I'm seeking help, I'm giving up those pointless online feuds and focusing on my job.' He's a fantastic mayor, and he should do that. Then he would have a place there. I'd be pleased if it worked out like that."
Palmer too is open to the idea of coming back to the Greens. In an interview with the German Press Agency, he said, "A situation where I could be a valued member of the Greens again would be beneficial to both sides." He also praised Özdemir, expressing, "I have great respect for Cem Özdemir, and I'm pleased that he's expressed a conciliatory attitude."
Since becoming Tübingen's mayor in 2007, Palmer has had controversial run-ins with political comments. He left the Greens in May 2020 due to a scandal involving the use of the N-word at a migration conference in Frankfurt. His continued membership was already questionable due to other contentious remarks. In the upcoming Baden-Württemberg communal election, Palmer is running for the Free Voters Association (FWV) in the Tübingen constituency for a seat in the Tübingen district council.
Özdemir has spoken highly of Palmer, even referring to his impeccable record as mayor. "I put in a lot of effort to keep him in the party, and I built bridges for him," remarked Özdemir during the event. "Unfortunately, he then tore them down." Özdemir is considered the front-runner for the Greens in the 2026 Southwest state election, as Minister President Winfried Kretschmann will not run for re-election.
