Germany’s Green party had a weak showing in federal elections in 2017, causing analysts to largely write it off as a political force. But the past two years have seen an abrupt turnaround in the party’s fortunes. Buoyed by widespread concern about the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, as well as broader upheaval that has undermined the traditional mainstream parties, the Greens are now in the No. 2 position in national polls, and they are expected to perform well in the European Parliament elections in May.
As journalist Andrew Green writes in this week’s in-depth report, the Greens’ success has prompted new scrutiny of the party’s performance in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, where it currently heads a coalition government. For this week’s Report episode of the podcast, Andrew talks with Robbie Corey-Boulet about the history and evolution of the party, and explains why some critics accuse its leaders of compromising on their values.
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Germany’s Greens Are On the Rise. Can They Stay True to Their Roots?
Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at @peterdoerrie.
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