So far this month, GPW has had more than the usual share of stories about non-US Green Parties:

Greens to play “Kingmaker” in Germany?

Posted by Gregg Jocoy

According to this Spiegel article:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,645953,00.html
the Greens are in a good position to negotiate a place in government in both state elections that were just held, Saarland and Thuringia.

“Sunday’s results also create previously unimagined opportunities for the Greens. In Saarland, there are strong signs that an SPD-Left Party-Greens coalition will take power. However, the Greens have not ruled out a coalition with the CDU and the FDP, which would however only have a slim majority in the Saarland state assembly. The hand of the green bride in Saarland will be won by whoever can come up with the largest dowry. To stay in the game, the current Saarland governor, the CDU’s Peter Müller, needs to make the Green Party an offer they cannot refuse.

The Green Party’s Berlin strategists would prefer to have a coalition with the CDU in one state and with the SPD and the Left Party in another, in order to maintain balance. The party’s leadership fears nothing — not even another term in opposition — more than a debate about which political camp the Greens belong to. Firstly, because it would tear apart the party, which brings together such disparate elements as far-left environmental activists and centrist eco-yuppies. And secondly, because it would discourage both left-wing and conservative Green voters from going to the polls [for upcoming national elections].”

According to a report at Business World, Irish Green Party leader Dan Boyle says that the Irish government may not make it to the end of the year without calling for snap elections.

Mr Boyle said he thought the probability of an election in the next six months was “40:60″.

BBC News has a more comprehensive report. It shows that the Green Party is maintaining it’s support with the Irish voter at 3%, while it’s coalition partners are seeing a drop in support. The same poll shows that 85% of Irish voters are unhappy with the government. According to Boyle, the government’s bank bail out plan is at the core of this dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, the Irish Times reports that a recent poll shows that a 3/4 majority of Irish voters want a change in government. 17% want to stay with the current coalition government. Even 74% of Greens polled want a new government, even though the current government includes Greens in the governing coalition.

More International Green Party news Posted by by Gregg Jocoy:

The Green Party of Ontario will elect a new leader at a convention November 13-15, in London.

The Green Party of New Zealand has issued a press release about air pollution, raising concerns about particles 2.5 microns and smaller which are not currently monitored.

Caroline Lucas, Green Party Member of the European Parliament from England and Wales, is calling on Greens and allies to pledge to reduce our personal carbon emissions by ten percent by 2010. Ms. Lucas is also interviewed by The Guardian about how cash plays a role in British politics, making it difficult for smaller parties like the Greens to be heard.

The Irish Times is reporting that Greens and opposition parties are being encouraged to meet to discuss support for the Treaty of Lisbon, which would change how the European Parliament functions.

The Oshaw Express is reporting on what they call “Not quite a green party machine”. This is a detailed report on one of Canada’s Green Party efforts, looking to grow the Green Party beyond their current 11% base of support.

Ska Keller, 27 year old German Green member of European Parliament Posted by Gregg Jocoy:

H/T to Tim T for the link.

Keller is the youngest member of the European Parliament.

Caroline Lucas blames Labour for nation’s woes, predicts victory in electionPosted by Gregg Jocoy:

According to this article, Green Party of England and Wales leader Caroline Lucas believes that the Greens are poised to win a seat in Parliament. She is quoted saying that the Labour Party, led by Gordon Brown, is responsible for the nation’s economic and social difficulties.

“The government’s response to the current economic crisis is creating more inequality, not reducing it,” she said.

She also pointed to recent Green Party votes across Europe as proof that the Green Party’s message is resonating with voters across the continent.

“A million people who responded to our policies, our candidates and perhaps, above all, to our values,” she said.

“A million voices calling out for honesty in politics, for tackling the issues that really matter, like climate change and good quality public services.

“A million people who wanted fairness from a party they could trust. What a message for the other parties.”

In an echo of Green Party policy here in the US, where scholarships, even if too few, are made available to low income Greens who want to attend Annual National Meetings, this article reports that the British Greens are using a sliding scale to set costs for their convention.

Meanwhile, at UTV, Lucas is quoted claiming that 300,000 people a year are already dying as a result of global climate change, calling Labour’s failures to effect change a “political crime”.

“In a few years, people will look back bewildered and angry that – knowing what they knew now – none of the other main political parties in Britain confronted the most critical issue of our time. They have pretended that they have the problem under control, that a few low-energy lightbulbs here, a bit of lagging on your loft there, and the problem is solved. And that to do anything more is either unnecessary or involves too much ’sacrifice’.

“We’ve got news for them: a transition to a post-carbon world doesn’t have to be about sacrifice. It’s about jobs, it’s about a more equal society, and it’s about a way of life with the potential to be far more fulfilling than the turbo-charged consumerism which is peddled by politicians today. And that’s why we say that our government’s inaction is nothing less than a political crime.”

The BBC is reporting that Lucas is calling for an end to plans to expand Heathrow airport, and an end to plans to build more coal fired power plants.

“We demand massive investment in energy efficiency, renewable energies, public transport, green jobs.

“And we demand that when the government signs up to new emissions targets, that they are honest about it, that they undertake domestic cuts here at home, not try to outsource it or offset it in poorer countries.”

Lucas is not, however, the only Green making news. Jean Lambert, a Green Member of the European Parliament since 1999, is preparing a presentation on combating far-right politicians.

“We’ll be looking at how a lack of political activity in a community can allow the far right to win. We’ll be aiming to clarify what Greens can do to limit the advance of the far right in politics at all levels.”

In addition, Green Party disability spokesperson Alan Wheatly will address the Green Party Trade Union Group to talk of his experience and reactions to Labour and Conservative welfare reform machinations. That address will be on Saturday, Sept 5th.

The Guardian carries a report on infighting in the British Green Party, suggesting that a conflict between activists could lead to a loss in an expected victory for the Greens in upcoming elections for Parliament.

In another article, The Guardian covers human rights activist here.

A bit more on international Greens Posted by Gregg Jocoy:

As has been reported here at GPW over the past few days, the Irish Green Party membership is not happy with their government, even though the Greens are part of the governing coalition. Part of the difficulty is the government proposal to bail out Irish bankers, speculators and developers, known as NAMA. Party chair Dan Boyle has put the chance of snap elections at 40%, but Environment Minister John Gormley has ruled out early elections.

At the same time, the Socialist Workers Party in Ireland plans to lobby a Green Party conference on September 12th, which is being held to hear from Green Party members and their concerns about the NAMA program.

In Canada, the National Post is reporting that recent polls put the Green Party at 9.9% as the Liberal and Conservative Parties run neck and neck. Green Party leader Elizabeth May may have an early run for office if the current minority Conservative Party government looses a no confidence vote.

The Standard of St. Catherines reports that Greens, and other political candidates, would prefer to keep the current election schedule instead of holding elections as early as November.

“Look, if it happens, I’m ready to go,” said St. Catharines Green party candidate Jennifer Mooradian. “But this isn’t the time. No one I am talking to right now wants an election. I think people want to see Ottawa get on with the job.

In Austria, the Greens are proposing that deserters from Hitler’s Nazi military be given “full rehabilitation”. An article at Monsters and Critics quotes Austrian Green parliamentarian Albert Steinhauser saying:

“With this bill, the republic and its representatives would declare their view of desertion in a historical context.”