Greens in focus: everyday problems for better understanding!

Greens in focus: everyday problems for better understanding!

The leadership of the Green Party has made it its mission to focus more on people's everyday problems. In an internal strategy paper that is available to the German Press Agency and which serves as a basis for discussion for the upcoming parliamentary group executive committee meeting, the group leaders Britta Haßelmann and Katharina Dröge emphasize that the image of the Greens as an elite party far removed from everyday life is worrying. “A look back, a look forward!” is the title of the paper, which is intended to draw important lessons from the traffic light government and the disappointing 11.6 percent of the vote in the federal election.

The group leadership is particularly concerned with linking major future issues such as climate protection, democracy, war and peace with everyday challenges. Issues such as poor school conditions, unreliable bus services, and the problem of pensions are also considered relevant. The parliamentary group leaders complain that the time in government has cost trust in Green politics. It is important to also improve communication strategies, especially on controversial topics such as the heating law.

Communication and trust

A central point of criticism is that many people did not understand what the heating law was about and how it affected them. The group leaders emphasize that the Greens' policies need to be better explained in order to create greater trust among the population. “We have to listen to everyday problems and take them seriously,” explain Haßelmann and Dröge.

The Greens have already brought social issues such as citizens' money to the fore in the past. They are committed to ensuring that climate protection does not come at the expense of social justice. This becomes particularly necessary to address the challenges of climate change, which are important both locally and globally. A study used as part of the discussion examines concepts for more effective and social climate protection and identifies climate change as the main threat to future social justice in Germany and worldwide. The aspect that a stable energy supply must remain affordable for everyone in order to avoid poverty also plays a role here.

Look ahead

With the aim of combating the contradiction between social justice and ambitious climate policy, the discussion about the necessary transformation into a low-emission solar economy is gaining momentum. The focus is on criteria for assessing how the transition to a more sustainable society can be made in a socially acceptable way. The results show that climate protection-focused policies are an integral part of a comprehensive social policy.

In summary, it can be said: The Greens are trying to rethink their course and respond more closely to the needs of citizens. A policy that not only focuses on big questions for the future, but also takes everyday problems into account, could help to regain trust and win more people over to their political approaches.

For more information on the Greens' plans and their position on climate protection, we recommend the articles from Radio Leverkusen, Mirror and the study results of the Hans Böckler Foundation.