The Greens Choose Robert Habeck as Candidate for German Chancellorship

Robert Habeck, the current Vice Chancellor and German Minister of Economy, warned on Sunday against a new edition of a coalition between conservatives and social democrats, similar to the three led by Christian Democrat Angela Merkel during her four terms at the helm of the Berlin government. Habeck stated that the 'GroKo', the 'Grosse Koalition', is responsible for the burdens weighing on the German economy, from energy dependence on Russia, which the current government of Social Democrat Olaf Scholz has corrected, to the lack of infrastructure investments and excessive bureaucracy. "That is the cause of the economic crisis of recent years," emphasized the environmental leader.

Grand coalitions "maintain a romance with the status quo" and are responsible for the "standstill" Germany is experiencing, Habeck asserted at the federal conference of Green delegates in Wiesbaden, where he was crowned as the official candidate for the federal chancellorship with the support of 96.5% of the nearly 800 delegates who participated in the vote, which opens the Greens' campaign for the early general elections on February 23. Continuing with a policy like that exercised so far by a grand coalition "harms Germany," the environmental leader stressed.

"We have had very bad governments in past years, and we have had to step on the gas," Habeck highlighted in his speech, referring to the now-broken tripartite of social democrats, greens, and liberals, which, upon coming to power after the autumn 2021 elections, had to quickly end dependence on Russian gas, provide military and financial support to Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion, and make a 180-degree turn in German defense policy, among other things. The environmental candidate for the head of the German government expressed openness to new alliances after the elections, including negotiating a government coalition led by conservatives.

In a passionate, combative, and optimistic one-hour speech to justify his candidacy, delivered without a single paper in hand and with his usual brilliant oratory, the federal government's number two explained that his desire is "to continue assuming responsibilities, if the winds are favorable, from the federal chancellery." Habeck emphasized that there are three threats to freedom in Germany that must be recognized and combated, the first being those posed by dictators, especially stemming from Russia's war in Ukraine.

That war is "a fight for the rights of freedom that characterize Europe," said the current Minister of Economy, who highlighted the second threat as stemming from extremist populisms and, thirdly, climate change. Fighting against the latter ensures peace and prevents new crises and waves of migrants, Habeck asserted, for whom the problem is not the people seeking refuge in Germany, "but the causes of wars and forced deportations." The green leader blamed these on Russian President Vladimir Putin, both in Ukraine and Syria.

Despite the bleak international outlook, the economic problems in Germany, and the limited progress in combating global warming, 55-year-old Robert Habeck expressed optimism about the country's future and offered the Christian Democratic and Social Christian opposition (CDU/CSU) his collaboration to reform the law that limits new national debt to finance necessary infrastructure projects. Among other things, he promised cheaper electricity rates and higher tax rates for the "super-rich," as well as closing legal loopholes that allow those who do not deserve them to avoid tax burdens.

Habeck will lead the Greens' election campaign alongside Annalena Baerbock, the current German Foreign Minister, who was the party's candidate for the Federal Chancellery in the previous elections. The ecologists then achieved 14.8% of the votes, while now polls grant them between 11% and 12%, although with an upward trend. The Greens also have new leaders as of this Saturday. Attendees at the congress elected federal deputy Felix Banaszak and Franziska Brantner, parliamentary state secretary in the federal Ministry of Economy, as the party's new presidents. Brantner is also considered one of Habeck's closest collaborators.