Green party

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This article is about Green parties in general. For political parties, see List of green political
parties and Green Party (disambiguation).

Part of a series on

Green politics

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 Green politics
 Green party
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 In 1979, Daniel Brélaz became the world's first green member of a national parliament (in Switzerland).

A Green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such
as social justice, environmentalismand nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently
related to one another as a foundation for world peace. Green party platforms typically embrace
social-democratic economic policies and forming coalitions with other left-wing parties. Green parties
exist in nearly 90 countries around the world; many are members of Global Greens.

Contents

 1Definitions
 2Influence
o 2.1Alliances
 3Green parties
o 3.1Africa
o 3.2Asia and Oceania
 3.2.1Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu
 3.2.2India
 3.2.3Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
 3.2.4Lebanon
o 3.3Europe
 3.3.1Belgian and German roots
 3.3.21984–1989: A new political force
 3.3.3Since the 1990s
 3.3.4Turkey
o 3.4North America
 3.4.1Canada
 3.4.2United States
o 3.5South America
 3.5.1Brazil
 3.5.2Colombia
 4See also
 5References
 6External links

Definitions[edit]
There are distinctions between "green" parties and "Green" parties. Any party, faction, or politician
may be labeled "green" if it emphasizes environmental causes. Indeed, the term may even be used
as a verb: it is not uncommon to hear of "greening" a party or a candidate.[citation needed]
In contrast, formally organized Green parties may follow a coherent ideology that includes not
only environmentalism, but often also other concerns such as social justice, consensus decision-
making and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a
foundation for world peace. The best-known statement of the above Green values is the Four Pillars
of the Green Party, adopted by the German Greens in 1979–1980 (but forsaken since). The Global
Greens Charter lists six guiding principles which are ecological wisdom, social justice, participatory
democracy, nonviolence, sustainability and respect for diversity.[1]

Influence[edit]
Political parties campaigning on a predominantly environmental platform arose in the early 1970s in
various parts of the world.
The world's first political parties to campaign on a predominantly environmental platform were
the United Tasmania Group contested the April 1972 state election in Tasmania, Australia and
the Values Party of New Zealand, which contested the November 1972 New Zealand general
election.[2] Their use of the name 'Green' derived from the 'Green Bans': an Australian movement of
building workers who refused to build on sites of cultural and environmental significance.[3]
The first green party in Europe was the Popular Movement for the Environment, founded in 1972 in
the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. The first national green party in Europe was PEOPLE, founded in
Britain in February 1973, which eventually turned into the Ecology Party, and then the Green Party.
Several other local political groups were founded in beginning of the 1970s and Fons Sprangers was
probably the first Green mayor in the world, elected in 1970 in Meer, and active until 2006 for the
Flemish Greens. The first political party to use the name "Green" seems to have been the Lower
Saxon "Green List for Environmental Protection", founded Sept. 1, 1977.
The first Green Party to achieve national prominence was the German Green Party, famous for their
opposition to nuclear power, as well as an expression of anti-centralist and pacifist values traditional
to greens. They were founded in 1980 and have been in coalition governments at state level for
some years. They were in federal government with the Social Democratic Party of Germany in a so-
called Red-Green alliance from 1998 to 2005. In 2001, they reached an agreement to end reliance
on nuclear power in Germany, and agreed to remain in coalition and support the government of
Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the 2001 Afghan War. This put them at odds with many Greens
worldwide.
In Finland, in 1995, the Finnish Green Party was the first European Green party to be part of a
national Cabinet. Other Green parties that have participated in government at national level include
the Groen! (formerly Agalev) and Ecolo in Belgium, Les Verts in France and the Green Party in
Ireland. In the Netherlands GroenLinks ("GreenLeft") was founded in 1990 from four small left-
wing parties and is now a stable faction in the Dutch parliament.
Around the world, individuals have formed many Green parties over the last thirty years. Green
parties now exist in most countries with democratic systems: from Canada to Peru;
from Norway to South Africa; from Ireland to Mongolia. There is Green representation at national,
regional and local levels in many countries around the world.
Most of the Green parties are formed to win elections, and so organize themselves by the presented
electoral or political districts. But that does not apply universally: The Green Party of Alaska is
organized along bioregional lines to practice bioregional democracy.
Alliances[edit]
Depending on local conditions or issues, platforms and alliances may vary. In line with the goal of
democracy, neighboring ecoregions may require different policies or protections.
Green parties are often formed in a given jurisdiction by a coalition of scientific ecologists,
community environmentalists, and local (or national) leftist groups or groups concerned with peace
or citizens rights.
A Red-Green alliance is an alliance between Green parties and social democratic parties. Such
alliances are typically formed for the purpose of elections (mostly in first-past-the-postelection
systems), or, after elections, for the purpose of forming a government.
Some Greens, such as those in Hawaii, find more effective alliances with more conservative groups
(Blue-Green alliance) or indigenous peoples - who seek to prevent disruption of traditional ways of
life or to save ecological resources they depend on. Although Greens find much to support in
fostering these types of alliances with groups of historically different backgrounds, they also feel
strongly about forming diverse communities through encouragement of diversity in social and
economic demographics in communities, especially in the United States.
Alliances often highlight strategic differences between participating in parties and advancing the
values of the Green movement. For example, Greens became allied with centre-right parties to oust
the centre-left ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party of Mexico. Ralph Nader, the 2000 presidential
nominee of the U.S. Greens, campaigned with ultra-conservative Pat Buchanan on joint issues such
as farm policy and bans on corporate funding of election campaigns, although this "alliance"
between Nader and Buchanan was very specifically limited to the purpose of showing that there was
broad support for certain specific issues, across the political spectrum.
U.S. Greens grew dramatically throughout 2001. However, stable coalitions (such as that in
Germany) tend to be formed between elections with left-wing parties on social issues, and 'the
grassroots right' on such issues as irresponsible corporate subsidies and public ethics.
On 13 June 2007, the Irish Green Party, represented by six members of parliament or TDs, agreed
to go into a coalition government for the first time in their history, with Fianna Fáil. Fianna Fáil and
the Green Party were joined by the Progressive Democrats in a coalition also supported by a
number of independent members of parliament (the Progressive Democrats later dissolved as a
party, though their members remained in parliament). The Green Party held two Cabinet seats, as
well as two junior ministries, until their withdrawal from government in January 2011. They lost all of
their six seats in the following month's general election, but regained two in the 2016 General
Election.
In the Czech Republic, the Green Party was part of the governing coalition, together with the
conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the Christian Democrats (KDU–ČSL) from January
2007 until the government collapsed in March 2009. The Finnish and French Green parties are now
the only ones actively participating in government.

Green parties[edit]
Africa[edit]
This section needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent
events or newly available information. (April 2009)

As of 2002 the foundation of Green parties has been the most notable in Africa.[4][5]
The leader of the Kenyan Green Party, Wangari Maathai, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004,
enhancing the image of Green parties across Africa and throughout the world.
Asia and Oceania