Not just sticking to the streets, but also striving to get into parliament – the is playing with this idea “Last Generation”. During a digital networking meeting, members of the group revealed corresponding efforts. “Now we are trying to found a political party,” says the activist Caris Connell on the video recordings available to WELT – she is one of the best-known people in the movement. The reason therefore: Parties are very well placed under German law.
After the climate activists initially did not respond to an initial request, they specified their ambitions on Tuesday. There are “currently” no “concrete plans” for a start-up. At the same time, however, the “Last Generation” makes it clear in the statement how seriously this step is being considered. “The idea of using a party as an organizational form” has come up several times in the past six months. So far, it has been repeatedly rejected and “put on hold” because one does not want to give the impression that parties alone would solve the problem of “the government’s absolute failure in climate policy”.
“Nevertheless, it would not be far off the mark as a political campaign to structure oneself as a party or to be supported by such parties at some level, even if – as we do – one does not see the solution in elections.” It’s not about donations, it’s about it about the constitutional “rank and protection” of political work, which is only granted to parties. Since one is currently assuming “social responsibility” instead of parties, it only seems fair if one had the same advantages.
“They lack respect for our rule of law”
In the case of the FDP and the Union, however, there are great doubts as to whether the road blockers are suitable for a party. “The ‘last generation’ has repeatedly demonstrated with its previous actions and positions that the basic processes and structures within our representative democracy mean little or nothing to them,” said FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai WELT.
What is also characteristic of the group is that “their actions and their approach often give the impression that they lack respect for our constitutional state,” says Djir-Sarai. “You would have to learn that destructive actions alone do not help to create political majorities in a democracy.”
CDU domestic politician Alexander Throm spoke harder in tone. “Anyone is free to form a party. However, I have considerable doubts as to whether a party of the ‘last generation’ would stand on the ground of the Basic Law,” he said. “The ‘Last Generation’ falls primarily as a platform for organizing crimes like interference in air traffic, roadblocks and Vandalism in museums on. For me, the image of a criminal organization comes to mind rather than that of a new party that faces up to fair democratic competition.” Any party would have to “clearly distance itself from all extremist tendencies in its environment”.
The Greens were relaxed: Anton Hofreiter, member of the Bundestag, told the television station WELT that a radical eco-party with only one topic would have a hard time. “It’s very, very complicated to really make a party big.” Hofreiter also doesn’t see the danger of new factional fights within the Greens or defectors. There is no internal dissent among the Greens on the subject of climate protection. “When it comes to climate protection, we Greens absolutely agree. It is perfectly clear that things have to go faster. The problem is more Olaf Scholz – and sometimes the FDP too.”
The AfD shows general sympathy for the group’s efforts to found a new party. “If you don’t feel represented by the previous parties, you have to set up your own. That’s called competition,” said Deputy Federal Spokesman Stephan Brandner. “However, it is hard to imagine the ‘Last Generation’ party really picking up steam as the mouthpiece for the young, hysterical climate apocalypticists.”
In any case, the head of the polling institute Forsa, Manfred Güllner, doubts that a party of the “last generation” could win many votes: “I think a party of the “last generation” has extremely low chances, because it is a very small group.” , he said. “The vast majority of the population rejects the protest actions and has no understanding for them.”
It has also been shown that pure climate parties generally have a hard time. “In Baden-Württemberg, the climate list took part in the last state election – the result was very moderate at 0.9 percent.” In order to benefit from a central advantage of parties, the “last generation” would only have to have a little success: Reaches a party at Europe or federal elections at least 0.5 percent of the votes, it is financially subsidized by the state.
Germany spends more than 200 million euros a year on party financing. In terms of time, it would be possible for the climate stickers to stand in the European elections next spring. And Forsa boss Güllner says: It cannot be ruled out that she could get the required 0.5 percent.
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