Green Party leader Franziska Brantner paid tribute to the outgoing Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann. Speaking to “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” Brantner praised Kretschmann for demonstrating that green politics is most effective when principles and pragmatism are successfully combined.
She stressed that Kretschmann never lost sight of his primary goal: improving the lives of ordinary people. Brantner highlighted the importance of his leadership in practicing active listening, building bridges across political divides, and making difficult decisions when those actions served the greater good.
In her statement, Brantner added that Kretschmann represents a form of governance that does not need to be loud in order to be impactful, expressing gratitude that he dedicated his life to these ideals.
Kretschmann, who has served as the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg for approximately 15 years, will be formally bid farewell on Wednesday. His tenure makes him Germany’s first green Minister-President, and also the longest-serving head of the state government of Baden-Württemberg.