Germany: the Greens are open to a coalition with the CDU

In the election to choose the party leaders in January 2017 ahead of the election campaign for the Bundestag in autumn, the Green Party opted for Katrin Göring-Eckardt, the co-chair of the Green Party faction in the Bundestag, and Cem Özdemir, the co-chair of the party. Participation in the vote reached 59%, which is slightly less than in 2016. Göring-Eckardt received 70.6% of the vote and Özdemir 36%.

Göring-Eckardt, who was the only woman standing in the preliminary election to have a nomination secured, will lead the Green Party in the election campaign for the second time. She has a good relationship with CDU politicians and rarely argues with them about their views. Özdemir is branded as a conservative and criticised for his opinions by certain of his fellow party members who believe his views on the integration of foreigners and security policy are characteristic of the CDU.

ESO: Background information: German federal election, 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-federal-election-2017/

ESO: Background information: Schulz, Merkel, and Gabriel: The ebb and flow of electoral politics http://www.europeansources.info/record/schulz-merkel-and-gabriel-the-ebb-and-flow-of-electoral-politics/

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