Lyon became, on Friday 2 February, the nerve centre of European green politics with the opening of the European Green Party (EGP) Congress. This event marks a decisive turning point for the green party ahead of the European elections in June. Faced with growing environmental and social challenges, the Greens are seeking to strengthen their influence in the European Parliament while keeping environmental issues at the forefront of EU policies.
A call to action against the far right. In her opening speech, French senator Mélanie Vogel (Europe Écologie Les Verts), co-president of the party, stressed the crucial importance of the forthcoming election campaign. Considered to be the most crucial campaign to date, it is taking place at a time when the far right is gaining ground in Europe. The Greens are committed not only to the fight against extremism, but also to the continuation of the European Green Deal, despite growing criticism. Faced with polls predicting a possible loss of a third of their current MEPs, the party is concentrating on its strategy to maintain its representation in the European Parliament.
As outlined in the EGP’s draft election manifesto (see EUROPE 13339/23), the fight against fascism and the promotion of democracy are central to the Greens’ election campaign. A call for action was issued against the rise of far-right forces in Europe, demonstrating the party’s commitment to fundamental democratic values.
For Ms Vogel, the forthcoming elections are about more than just winning seats in Parliament; they are seen as a battle for the future of Europe.
The party co-president also strongly criticised current policies for their lack of sustainability, pointing the finger at the belief in unlimited growth on a planet with limited resources. She drew a direct link between the climate and social crises, asserting that the Greens offer concrete solutions to these interdependent challenges.
Green and social justice. Ms Vogel highlighted the Green and Social Deal, an ambitious initiative aimed at redirecting investment in fossil fuels and other unsustainable sectors towards greener and more social alternatives. The plan includes investment in renewable energy, affordable housing, clean public transport and food sovereignty, with the aim of creating an economy that is both dynamic and fair.
The Greens’ commitment was reiterated in a speech by Austrian MEP Thomas Waitz, the party’s co-president. In his view, environmental and social challenges are at the heart of the Greens’ concerns, in particular the fight against the fossil fuel industry and the need for an energy transition towards renewables. He highlighted the resistance encountered in the European Parliament, where ecological initiatives are often weakened or rejected, illustrating the ongoing battle against powerful and established players.
At a time when farmers’ anger is spreading across Europe (see EUROPE 13341/4), Thomas Waitz stressed the need to transform agriculture into a sustainable practice. “Without including forestry and agriculture in our goal of climate neutrality, it will be difficult to achieve it”, he said, criticising today’s industrialised agriculture for its harmful effects on the climate and biodiversity. Mr Waitz also denounced the influence of big business on democratic processes, saying that, despite their efforts, they could not shake the determination of the Greens at all levels - European, national and local.
Nomination of ‘Spitzenkandidaten’. Among the major events expected this weekend, the various Green parties are preparing to elect the duo who will represent the Green family at European level on Saturday.
Four candidates are in the running: - German MEP Terry Reintke (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen); - Elīna Pinto (Progresīvie), former Latvian presidential candidate; - Benedetta Scuderi, spokesperson for the Young European Greens, and; - Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout.
Thomas Waitz expressed his enthusiasm for this crucial stage, seeing it as an opportunity to promote strong personalities capable of representing the values and ambitions of the Greens during the campaign and beyond.
Among the contenders, Ms Reintke and Mr Eickhout, both heads of list in their respective countries and leading figures in the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, appear to be the favourites.
Potential debate around the objective of climate neutrality. While there is little dissension within the party over the adoption of its manifesto, scheduled for Sunday, the goal of climate neutrality could be at the heart of the debate.
According to the preliminary version of the election manifesto, the party plans to call on the EU to step up its fight against climate change, proposing to bring forward the target of climate neutrality to 2040, instead of 2050. However, not everyone agrees with this proposal. The German Greens, in particular, advocate setting this target at 2045, according to Euractiv.
Asked by EUROPE about this last point, a spokesperson for Bündnis 90/Die Grünen stressed that the negotiations were based on the EGP resolutions. “As in other areas, we negotiate on the basis of our party’s resolutions. We are guided by the objective of achieving the Paris climate targets in union with our family of European parties and in a socially secure way. In Lyon, we will be exchanging our points of view on this subject and we expect constructive negotiations”, said this spokesperson. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)