Greens in Saxony elect Helbig and Storz as party leaders

The Saxon Greens have reorganized their personnel at their party conference in Neukieritzsch near Leipzig. Martin Helbig was elected as the new state chairperson, Coretta Storz takes over the co-chairmanship. Both prevailed against their rivals in competitive votes. Former Environment Minister Wolfram Günther had surprisingly withdrawn his candidacy.

Double leadership with a clear announcement

Helbig received 66 out of 112 votes cast (58.9 percent). He prevailed against Nathalie Senf and Martin Senz. In his candidacy speech, he emphasized the importance of socio-ecological policies: "If you want change, you have to shape it socially. Those who expect must secure. Socio-ecological policy - that is Green Alliance policy." The Dresden district councillor called for greater involvement of the district associations and joint work between full-time and honorary positions.

Storz from the Chemnitz district association won with 72 votes (64.9 percent) against Gesine Märtens. She wants to position the party in a grassroots and creative way: "As state chairwoman, I am running for a strong base that is not only the engine, but also sets the direction."

Günther, who was initially considered the favorite for the chairmanship, decided not to run at the last minute. The reason was the debate within the party about the separation of mandate and party office. "In these difficult times, we need the unity and cohesion of our entire state association." This is Günther's top priority. "The state association and parliamentary group must now continue their fight for the environment, climate and an open-minded Saxony with all their strength," Günther emphasized. The state association must also be able to connect with the entire civil society in the future.

Difficult restart after election debacle

The new chairpersons are taking office in a difficult situation for the party: The Greens only achieved 5.1 percent in last year's state election. They are no longer part of the Saxon government. The aim of the new party leadership is to broaden the party's base and make it fit for upcoming election campaigns.