Cologne –
It’s kind of amazing. While potential Greens voters nationwide turn to the SPD in droves to prevent a Chancellor Armin Laschet – according to the reading of the Cologne Greens on election evening – the party remains in first place in the city, unchallenged, by a long way. After the landslide victory in the European elections two years ago and the historic 28 percent in the local elections again: 28 percent.
“We expected a very strong result – and are now nevertheless positively surprised,” said Cologne chairman Frank Jablonski on Monday. He attributes the strong result to “the connection between climate protection and social justice”, which many Cologne residents would look for and find in his party.
Sven Lehmann writes history: “There is nothing bigger”
The result for Sven Lehmann, who achieved something historical in the south-west of Cologne, can serve as proof of this. He won the first green direct mandate in the history of the city – with almost ten percentage points ahead of CDU candidate Sandra von Möller. Lehmann, 41 years old, is the social policy spokesman for his parliamentary group, is fighting for affordable rents and the end of Hartz IV. But also for the preservation of the green belt, social projects on Kölnberg and the expansion of line 13.
“There is nothing bigger for a politician,” he said on Sunday evening, rather overwhelmed about his direct election, when it became clear that it would be enough. “I believe that the local people can feel very clearly whether the constituency is also important to a politician in Berlin. And it is very important to me, ”he said on Monday, referring to the official final result. Now, 20 hours later, Lehmann is sitting on the train to Berlin and taps in various video conferences to see what will happen next.
He hoped “that a traffic light will be possible”, for a real departure with the CDU and FDP “I just lack the imagination,” says Lehmann. Do the Greens have to be represented in the next federal government? “Not at any price,” says Lehmann, “but our voters want us to rule.” The election result showed “quite clearly” that the people do not want Armin Laschet as Chancellor.
Cologne Greens were close to the second direct mandate
Katharina Dröge and Nyke Slawik, who will move into the Bundestag via their place on the state list for Cologne, agree with him. Slawik considers the Union to be voted out – and declares the clear election victory for SPD competitor Karl Lauterbach with an “anti-CDU mood in the constituency”.
Katharina Dröge surprisingly narrowly lost the fight for the direct mandate in Ehrenfeld and Nippes against Rolf Mützenich (SPD). “I woke up at night and thought: You have to look again now,” says Dröge. She then saw on her smartphone: 1.7 percentage points were missing. Despite the defeat, “the joy of the result predominated. That made me proud. “
Katharina Dröge: “Clear preference for the traffic light confirmed”
Dröge, who was a member of the green parliamentary committee in the last Bundestag, says: “Our rounds have confirmed that there is a clear preference for the traffic light. Because the result very clearly describes winners and losers. The sequence in the talks is clear. ”She believes that it makes sense that the FDP and the Greens are exchanging ideas about possible government constellations. Your party will try to forge a traffic light alliance, but will “not sell itself below value”.
There is backing from the Cologne party leadership, which recently opted for a council alliance with the CDU at the municipal level: “It is clear that the Greens and the SPD have gained – and that the CDU has lost. You can read off an order from this, ”says Frank Jablonski.
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