Greens aim for government participation despite poor poll results

The Saxon Greens are aiming for renewed participation in the state government despite poor poll results. "We need a stable and solid democratic government," declared lead candidate Katja Meier in Dresden. She accused the CDU and SPD coalition partners of conducting a "joint election campaign". "We are observing that the CDU and SPD are preparing a minority government," said Green Party parliamentary group leader Franziska Schubert. Together with Meier and Environment and Energy Minister Wolfram Günther, she forms the Green leadership trio in the election campaign.

Meier, who represents the areas of justice, democracy, equality and Europe as Minister of State in the cabinet, believes the CDU is faced with the task of fundamentally clarifying its relationship with the newly formed Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). "The SPD must also ask itself whether it wants to govern with a BSW."

Greens harshly criticize the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance

The Green leadership duo had nothing good to say about the party, which is contesting a state election for the first time. The BSW is "not a democratic party", infiltrated by the Kremlin and shares Russian propaganda one-to-one. The Saxon election campaign was being controlled from the Kremlin and Saarland, said Meier, referring to Sahra Wagenknecht's place of residence. Among other things, statements by the BSW on the war in Ukraine were cited as evidence.

Günther complained that issues that cannot be resolved at state level at all - such as arms deliveries to Ukraine, compulsory military service, diplomatic negotiations with Russia, nuclear power or limiting migration - also played a role in the state election campaign.

Meier wants to turn her department into a "bureaucracy reduction ministry"

The Greens want to stick to the energy transition in future without any ifs or buts. "No production, no prosperity here without the energy transition," said Günther. He wants to massively accelerate forest conversion with a "Forest Action Program 2030". There also needs to be more greenery in cities - the Greens have 750,000 new trees in mind.

Meier suggested developing the Ministry of Justice into a "bureaucracy reduction ministry". Together with practitioners and under the leadership of the Ministry of Justice, the bureaucratic jungle in Saxony must be cleared up. Another point concerns more staff in the public prosecutor's offices in order to conduct proceedings more quickly. In future, there should be one new public prosecutor for every three newly recruited police officers.

In addition, Meier wants to continue the fight against right-wing extremism and consistently remove extremists from the civil service. She also mentioned protection against domestic and sexual violence as a further priority.

Faction leader Schubert spoke out in favor of setting up a foundation for the consequences of lignite mining with the federal government and the two other eastern German coal states of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. The aim is to make Lusatia the location for the Einstein Telescope - a device that can scan a huge area of the universe for gravitational waves.

Entry into parliament uncertain according to polls

Projects that inspire confidence are needed. Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU), on the other hand, appears to be "trapped in the apocalypse". Schubert also sees a reform of cultural funding and a reform of the municipal financial equalization system on the agenda.

A new state parliament will be elected in Saxony on 1 September. Current polls show that a continuation of the coalition between the CDU, Greens and SPD is either not enough or only just enough. The Greens and SPD, like the Left Party, even have to worry about re-entering parliament. The BSW, on the other hand, has poll ratings of up to 15 percent and could therefore be part of a new government.