The co-leader of Germany’s Green Party parliamentary group, Katharina Dröge, has publicly disagreed with strategic considerations recently expressed by former chancellor candidate Robert Habeck
Speaking to “Der Spiegel”, Dröge argued against the notion that German society lacks a clear center ground, particularly at a time when populist movements are seeking to divide it “Just now, when populists are trying to tear society further and further apart, we shouldn’t abandon this idea of the center” she stated “On the contrary: I see it as an important task for the Greens to defend this center
Habeck, upon announcing his departure from the Bundestag, suggested that society may not genuinely possess a center, but rather consists of diverse groups with differing interests who only rhetorically claim common ground Dröge countered that “Fortunately, there are still important common values on which a large majority can agree” These include the desire for a stable democracy and a country with a social safety net to support citizens during times of crisis “That is the consensus and that is the center in this country
Dröge also dismissed Habeck’s assertion made during the election campaign of a “Merkel gap” – the idea that a political space exists following the departure of former Chancellor Angela Merkel She argued that the discussion around the “center” frequently equates it with individuals who share the political outlook of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) “I think that’s nonsense” she said, emphasizing that the CDU does not define where the center lies
Instead of targeting a liberal-conservative demographic that may lament Merkel’s leadership, Dröge intends to focus on a “left-center” constituency, particularly concerning economic and social policies “If there were a referendum, a majority would vote for taxing the wealthy more to finance things like childcare places” she asserted, highlighting a potential area of broad public consensus