A heated debate erupted within the Green Party parliamentary group in the Bundestag over a “men’s manifesto” released by members of the party. According to several deputies who confirmed details to “Der Spiegel”, the confrontation took place during a faction meeting in Berlin on Tuesday.
The issue stemmed from a manifesto that “Der Spiegel” reported on over the weekend. The document, which advocates for a new, positive definition of masculinity and addresses the “dark sides” of feminism, was signed by nine men and four women. Among the signatories were party chairwoman Franziska Brantner and her predecessor, Ricarda Lang. Notably, Brantner belongs to the “realist” wing of the party, while Lang is associated with the left wing.
Green Party faction chairwoman Britta Haßelmann offered an indirect critique of the manifesto. She told “Der Spiegel” that the Greens are a fundamentally feminist party. She emphasized that feminism has always meant fighting alongside men for equality and the acceptance of diverse gender roles-including positive, modern images of men. Anything else, she argued, would be a misunderstanding of feminism.
During the faction meeting on Tuesday, several members, including Lena Gumnior, Ulle Schauws, and Kirsten Kappert-Gonther, expressed strong criticism, according to participant reports. The faction noted that the majority of statements were intended not to represent the party’s view on masculinity, but rather the personal opinions of the signatories.
The discussion also raised concerns about timing. It was deemed inappropriate to address the subject of masculinity right before crucial state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, suggesting the party should instead focus on pressing national issues such as the future of statutory health insurance, climate change, and the overall economic situation.
Further friction arose because the manifesto’s authors had reportedly not coordinated the document with the party’s subject matter experts. Faction chairwoman Katharina Dröge pointed out that specific areas are handled by dedicated specialists. Consequently, the 13 signatories of the manifesto surprised these experts with their uncoordinated political initiative.
