The Green Party’s leading candidate for the 2026 state election in Baden-Württemberg, Cem Özdemir, has cautioned against a shift towards the left within the party. In remarks published Friday by the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Özdemir urged a move away from comparisons with other established political forces, explicitly stating that the party should resist defining itself as a “better CDU, a better SPD, or even a better Left Party”. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the party’s core principles and moving away from redistribution-focused debates.
Özdemir cited the Social Democratic Party (SPD) as a cautionary example, suggesting its evolution from a party representing workers to one primarily focused on benefit recipients inadvertently pushed many working-class voters towards the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
He asserted that the Green Party currently occupies a unique position as the only genuinely center-right opposition party, presenting a significant opportunity, “but it requires courage to pursue a course of independent policy.
The politician underscored the need to leverage market forces in the fight against climate change, portraying the market as an “ally, not an opponent”. He advocated for pricing mechanisms that accurately reflect environmental costs, creating a strong incentive for investment in carbon-neutral technologies – a key task for the Green Party in the years to come.
