Bundestag Vice President Omid Nouripour (The Greens) stated that the election of Cem Özdemir as Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg sends a very positive message about Germany. Speaking to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”, he remarked that Özdemir’s ability to become a leading political figure in Germany underscores what a wonderful country the nation is. Nouripour, who was born in Tehran and moved to Germany as a youth, admitted to feeling personally happy about the development. He also connected his own political career to Özdemir, telling the press that he could not have reached where he is today without Özdemir’s inspiration. He recalled seeing Özdemir on television and realizing that succeeding in a political party didn’t require adhering to established tradition.
Katharina Dröge, the Greens’ parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, interpreted Özdemir’s assuming of office as an “excellent” sign. She told RTL and ntv’s program “Frühstart” that the apparent naturalness of someone named Özdemir becoming Minister-President in Baden-Württemberg sends a particularly encouraging message to people with migration backgrounds across Germany.
Dröge noted that this signal of unity and hope is especially needed during a time of increased political polarization, referencing the rise of the AfD. She concluded by noting that she observes no immediate significant political differences between the Greens in the federal government and those in Baden-Württemberg, pointing out that both regional and federal groups share common economic goals, including the desire to strengthen the auto industry.
