The Greens have been busy reinventing the face of their politics. The 60 year-old Hep Monatzeder and his long and popular era is yesterday's news. His replacement is little-known city councilor Sabine Nallinger. According to Abendzeitung there are also changes taking place at the top of their City Council Faction; Florien Roth and Gülseren Demirel are out, Sigi Benker and Lydia Dietrich are in.
What has initiated this reshuffling of the Green party's playing cards? To name but a few, it could be the black and yellow nuclear policy, Fukushima or Stuttgart 21. Such issues have flushed a lot of new members into the party's political sphere. The Party Leader here in Munich, Sebastien Wiesenburger, light-heartedly describes the character requirements for those wishing to take the political plunge for Green Party candidacy, 'you need to be bolder, cheekier and prepared to go out of your comfort zone'.
After 22 years of Red-Green policy, there seems to be an internal shift towards change. On the other hand the Pirates have certainly given the Greens something to think about with their motto 'Whoever stands idle can easily be overtaken'. We can look forward to finding out what these new political faces can offer us.