Participating in the EU elections – Schilling is participating: “I will remain a climate activist”

The climate activist, who appeared before the press together with Green Party leader Werner Kogler on Monday, was immediately combative, although the big challenge made her “heart beat quite a bit”. Not only does she want to campaign for climate protection, her candidacy is also a “declaration of war on the right,” says Schilling. It was about “peace and the future or nationalism and violence,” she said, a kind of election slogan.

“Arguing more with each other”
Given the tailwind for right-wing populists in Europe, the young climate activist is preparing for a tough election campaign. But she is looking forward to the debate, “because in a democracy we should discuss more with each other,” Schilling said.

She has also criticized the Greens themselves in the past and will continue to do so, she explained. It is a “good sign” that she can still run for the party. Of course, your top candidacy must still be approved by the federal congress of the Green Party. But that can be seen as a formality, because Lena Schilling has the support of the Green federal administration and all state leaders, Kogler explains.

Kogler “is extremely happy”
Green federal spokesperson Lena Schilling praised him as “extremely pleased” that a “very committed, competent and very exciting young woman and political personality” could be won for the role of top candidate. He did not want to say anything about the rumors from the rumor mill that the activist was only asked after ministers Leonore Gewessler and Alma Zadic had canceled: “We prefer to cook for reality,” Kogler said succinctly.

Schilling himself explained that it was an “extreme honor” to have been asked at all: “After two female ministers, that is really okay.” The 23-year-old does not see inexperience in foreign policy as an obstacle to her candidacy. It is clear that she “doesn’t have to be an expert in everything”. You compete as a team, the second top spot is taken by the experienced EU representative Thomas Waitz.

It is also clear to her that doing politics in parliament is different from standing on the street. But it is important to “bring a different perspective to parliament. The perspective of young people fighting to preserve our livelihoods,” Schilling emphasized.

Kogler, a former environmental activist himself who has now been a career politician for decades, agreed. It’s about making radical demands and finding real solutions, he said. As for the Greens’ election goal, the two did not want to give a percentage, but Kogler mentioned the real goal of defending the current three seats in the EU Parliament.