There was no time for nostalgia or looking back in anger, as Germany's Greens pivoted into campaign mode at their weekend party conference in Wiesbaden.

Germany is expected to elect a new federal parliament on February 23, seven months earlier than expected, following the collapse of its governing coalition of the Greens, the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), on November 6.

But the Greens, a former protest party, do not want to give up hope of being a ruling power as part of a new coalition. Party leaders have spoken of taking responsibility for the country in difficult times — even if that may mean having to enter a coalition with the conservatives of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), who are currently far ahead in opinion polls.

Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck was elected as the Greens' lead candidate on Sunday, with 96% of the vote. In his acceptance speech, Habeck said democracy was threatened by divisions in society, by right-wing extremism and populists. adding that it was yet to be seen what the election of Donald Trump as the new US president would mean for Germany's security. In this dramatic situation, also considering the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the Greens were needed more than ever, according to Habeck.

"Germany's answer to the growing strength of authoritarian regimes is not more nationalism, rather an alliance of democrats in a European Union which is strong and in touch with its citizens," he said in reference to the success of populist parties in Germany.

Robert Habeck for chancellor?

The Greens are starting this election campaign with their backs to the wall. They have only about 10-12% of the vote, according to the latest polls.

It's not only Habeck, but the party's grassroots members who are determined not to succumb to the temptation to make maximum demands and thereby surely find themselves on the opposition benches.

"I see here a party that wants to take responsibility and help shape things," Andrea Lübcke, a delegate from Brandenburg, told DW. "We must show what we have achieved and where we want to go, and, in the end, we must make the people a good offer."

The Greens overhauled their entire leadership team in Wiesbaden. Several weeks ago, the former co-leaders, foreign affairs expert Omid Nouripour and Bundestag lawmaker Ricarda Lang, announced their resignation in response to hefty defeats in recent elections — especially the European Parliament elections in June, when the Greens' vote share dropped from 20.5% at the 2019 election to only 11.9%.

On Saturday, the party voted in new co-leaders Felix Banaszak, a Bundestag legislator from North-Rhine Westphalia, and Franziska Brantner, who served as state secretary in Habeck's Economy Ministry. Banaszak received 93% of delegates' votes, Brantner about 78%.

Brantner, 45, a social scientist, is in Habeck's inner circle. Her election is proof that the Greens' national campaign will be very much tailored around the lead chancellor candidate.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the party's top candidate in the 2021 election campaign, expressed interest in keeping her position even after the snap election. The aim is to defend the country and democracy against threats from within and without, above all, right-wing extremists and populists, she told party delegates.

"Our responsibility as a progressive party is now, above all, to give security, to protect what is dear and sacred to us," she said. Baerbock also claimed that the enemies of democracy, progress and freedom played on people's insecurities by "badmouthing Germany every day."

Focus on climate change, infrastructure and housing

Guest speaker Luisa Neubauer, Germany's most well-known climate activist from the Fridays for Future movement, reminded the Greens not to forget their key issue of combating climate change in their quest for power.

"If you do not honestly and clearly name what is happening in terms of the climate crisis and what still needs to be done in the matter of climate justice, then everyone else will hide behind it." she said.

She called on Habeck's team to engage in "a real climate election campaign that nobody else is doing otherwise."

The Greens also want to address the housing shortage and renew the country's ailing infrastructure. These are all projects the center-left coalition had resolved to do, but could not implement.

The Greens have clearly switched into election campaign mode. "Given the situation in the world, the crises and conflicts, Putin's war of aggression in Ukraine, we would have liked more responsibility for the continuation of this alliance," Britta Hasselmann, the Greens' parliamentary leader in the Bundestag, told DW. "But now we are looking ahead."

This sentiment is also driven by the almost 10,000 new members the party has gained since the government broke down on November 6, giving the Greens a membership of about 140,000. Despite this, it would be a massive feat of strength for the party of environmental protection to remain part of the government after February 23.

This article was originally written in German.

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