More Class Struggle! – Farewell Letter from the Green Youth Has It All

“Dear friends,” reads the letter at the beginning, which seems like a reckoning. In it, the young Greens say they feel betrayed by their own party. Two important points of criticism emerge from her farewell letter: firstly, the older party colleagues would bow to “the rich”. Secondly, the eco-party would degenerate into a uniformity. No corners, no edges, but compromises.

The decision to leave the party was long in coming; the young politicians around Katharina Stolla and Svenja Appuhn were still waiting for the failed elections. For reasons of honesty, as is emphasized: “Because we were afraid that this would have overshadowed the already difficult election campaigns.”

The entire farewell letter can be read:

‘Respect’ alone is not enough
Even the resignation of the Green Party leadership would not have changed their decision. While there is “respect” for that, a personnel reshuffle would not transform the Greens into “our interests”. “It is not permanently possible to be part of a party and promote fundamentally different policies from those pursued by your own party at the same time,” the letter states.

The result: immediate resignation from the party and a handover of the baton by October 20 at the Federal Congress of the Green Youth. The letter also gives moral absolution. “It is important for us to emphasize that we do not think that you are bad people.” No one should be put under pressure.

Young politicians declare class war
In the end, the fact that the traffic light work would tear the Greens apart and that there would be a tough fight for Green positions was not enough. “We know that – and we are going anyway.” A “strong left force” is needed again. In principle, we are prepared to talk, but: “We understand if you are angry with us, if you feel abandoned by us or if you no longer want to talk to us.”

On Thursday, the young politicians indicated on a specially created website what exactly they wanted to do. In one word: class struggle – ‘rich and poor, above and below’, as they themselves write.

The traffic light is a disappointment, ‘effective criticism’ only comes from the right. ‘The rich’ would sit back ‘while the rightists encourage the poorest to fight for the crumbs.’ The weakest would let themselves be played off against each other, the young politicians claim to have realized.

The economy needs to be turned inside out
They now want to make it a bit more difficult for energy companies, hospital companies, real estate companies and many others. The fight against the desire for profit has been declared. The young politicians around Stoll and Appuhn have already attracted attention in the past with their nationalization fantasies. “Anyone who refuses to let the rich pay will ultimately make the population as a whole pay. We see this especially when it comes to climate protection.”

Instead of defending themselves against ‘a system’ that continually produces winners and losers, the Greens are increasingly resigned to managing the status quo. With a new left-wing movement, they now want to put the economy ‘at the service of the people’ and relieve their worries. Supporting the tightening of asylum policies would show how much the Greens have lowered their demands.

Her resignation statement states: “We want to help ensure that a strong left-wing party can soon emerge in Germany. A party that is not like all the others.” The closing words sound like a threat: “We will not stop doing politics. We have only just begun.”