In a candid interview, former Green Party co-leader Ricarda Lang reflected on her decision to step down from the party’s top position, a move that had filled her with anxiety. Lang, who resigned in the aftermath of the Brandenburg state election, said she had initially questioned whether she would regret her decision, but has since found peace with her choice.
In the days following the election, Lang described a period of intense emotional turmoil, during which she had cried frequently. She now views the experience with a sense of detachment, as if it were a deliberate and rational process. Her husband was a source of emotional support during this time and she credited him with being a stabilizing influence.
Lang emphasized that her resignation was a voluntary decision and that she had informed co-leader Omid Nouripour and later party leader Robert Habeck of her intention to step down. Habeck, the party’s future chancellor candidate, thanked her for her work and acknowledged the decision.
In the interview, Lang also spoke about the challenges of her role, admitting that she had sometimes felt lost and overwhelmed. She acknowledged that her post-resignation freedom to speak more openly and honestly has been a welcome change and that she sometimes wonders whether she could have taken the same risks earlier in her career.
Since stepping down, Lang has taken to reading letters from constituents on Fridays, a practice she finds fulfilling. She has also started a Pilates routine, which she finds beneficial for her well-being. A long-held dream of hers is to resume horseback riding, a passion from her childhood, but she recognizes that it would require a significant time commitment.
Lang has no intention of devoting her entire life to politics and plans to eventually pursue other interests. She has not ruled out the possibility of running for the Bundestag again, but is not seeking to become the longest-serving member of the German parliament, as is the case with Wolfgang Schäuble of the Christian Democratic Union. Lang’s ultimate goal is to leave politics behind and explore new horizons, a prospect she finds exciting.