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Welcome to the Green Party

© Pamela Gordon

The Green Party is not one party, but many political parties the world over. It is a movement based political party that first started in environmentalism, but doesn't end there. It is a political party that uses electoral reform, in addition to activism, in order to help create a better world. The Greens are concerned about Human Rights, Non-Violence and Sustainability, to list a few of the top issues. Green parties operate on a grass-roots level, working from the bottom going to the top, instead of the way of many other institutions or political parties that work from the top - down.

Many people associate the Green Party with only environmentalism. While that is one of the major focuses, there are many other issues that are in the forefront, such as workers rights and social justice. We want to see a living wage as the minimum wage. We want a better work environment; safer and fewer hours. (France recently passed a law for the 35-hour-work week.) Also, corporate domination is a major focus. Many of the problems facing people today are caused by the lack of control in their life due to the corporate domination. With world trade agreements, the (WTO), and other world organizations such as, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank, corporate domination will reach worldwide.

One of the major successes of The Greens is Die Grünen, The German Green Party. Founded in 1980 the German Greens have found their way into the political arena and have changed some of the focus in Germany. The German Greens have one of the strongest national Green Parities of all the Green Parties worldwide. In 1998 The German Green Party, again, placed third in the national level of political parties. They have placed 46 MP's to the national parliament, the German Bundestag. The German Greens have allied themselves with the Social Democrats, and have a strong voice in the government. This revealed itself this past June with a major success, the approval of the agreement to shut down all of Germany's nuclear plants. Germany has now become the first major nation to turn their back on nuclear power. This 30-year phase out plan would not have succeeded without the German Greens in government.

Throughout the world, there are Green political parties in over 80 countries. The European Federation of Green Parties has 30 national parties represented. EFGP Green parties are represented in 12 federal governments in Europe and have about 200 Green members in the European Parliament. In North America we have the Federation of the Green Parties of the Americas, with headquarters in Mexico City. Next year in April 2001, there will be the first Global Greens World Conference held in Australia.

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