Gewessler takes over the Greens: New era after Kogler's retreat!

Gewessler takes over the Greens: New era after Kogler's retreat!

Leonore Gewessler is the sole candidate for the Greens tip in Austria after Werner Kogler announced his retreat. No further candidatures have been received by the application deadline on Sunday. Gewessler had already announced their candidacy at the beginning of April and moved through all federal states to gain support. The Federal Congress of the Greens, which initiates a comprehensive recovery of personnel with the election of the party leadership and six new members of the federal board, takes place on June 29. This congress will participate 265 voters entitled to vote in order to carry out the new elections. Alma Zadić, Barbara Neßler and Franz Klug are called among the candidates for the federal executive board.

While these internal developments are important, Gewessler is also more politically active than ever. Austria recently filed a lawsuit before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against the controversial taxonomy regulation that classifies nuclear power and gas under certain conditions as sustainable energies. Gewessler was skeptical about the need for this classification and emphasized that nuclear power could not support the European climate goals. "There must be no 'Greenwashing program' for investments in nuclear power and fossil gas," said the Minister of Climate Protection.

The lawsuit against the EU

The Austrian government is only supported by Luxembourg in its lawsuit. Gewessler criticized that the decision to include nuclear power and gas in taxonomy was caused by considerable environmental damage and regarded as dangerous. It is also important to her the fact that the final storage of radioactive material is still unsolved and that the assessment of natural gas could promote sustainable investments. Gewessler made it clear that Austria would not allow the fossils and nuclear lobby to influence the decisions of the EU.

outlook for the EU elections

In the run-up to the EU elections on June 9, 2024, it also becomes clear which positions the various parties represent in terms of environmental and climate protection. According to a survey of the WWF, the SPÖ, Greens and Neos support a stronger green deal, while the FPÖ rejects it. The Greens have set themselves the goal of anchoring climate neutrality in EU law by 2040 and calling for binding exit dates from fossil fuels. They also work for the reduction in climate -damaging subsidies.

It shows that the coming months will be decisive for both the Greens and all of Austrian politics. Gewessler's leadership could play an important role, not only within the party, but also at European level, where climate protection plays an increasingly central role.