Green politician Baerbock calls for more presence in rural areas

In view of the poor poll results for the Greens ahead of the state elections in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg next year, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has called for the parties to have a greater presence in rural areas. In Brandenburg, the reputation of political parties as a whole has steadily declined, Baerbock told the Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten newspaper (Saturday). "More and more representatives from independent initiatives are sitting in local parliaments, from volunteer fire departments to voter alliances."

In East Germany, too little has been done to increase the visibility of public institutions, the Green politician said. This is a significant difference to West Germany. "There are still fewer sports clubs in eastern Germany, less presence of political parties in rural areas," she said. "It is a constant task for everyone, but especially for my party."

The work of the traffic light in the federal government also needs to be improved, Baerbock admitted. "Next year, we must do what we have set out to do in the traffic light: modernize this country," she emphasized, "But the disputes that have characterized this traffic light must come to an end."