Beyond the Wave: Green Parties in Europe
With climate strikers flooding the streets and Europe’s Green parties rising in the polls in 2019, the idea of a political “Green wave” became commonplace. The trend is stronger in north-western Europe, but similar movements are emerging all across Europe.
But waves are transitory. What if the rise of Green parties signals a much deeper shift? What if their growth is the most explicit sign that ecological issues are an increasingly important political fault line?
In this series of interviews with Green politicians from different countries, we asked: how do their movements relate to the political contexts and societies they operate in? What role do Greens play in the wider political landscape? How is Green politics evolving as it aspires to power? Beyond green issues as narrowly understood, what future do Green parties want for European societies?
Green parties are but one part of the much broader movement and current of thought that is political ecology. To delve deeper, we recommend reading our “worlds of political ecology” print edition as well as exploring our rich online archive.
Articles in this focus
How can the Irish Greens maintain connections with grassroots activists outside of party politics whilst in government?
Read moreGreen MEP David Cormand explains how the Greens can challenge the neoliberal and far-right duopoly in the French presidential elections of 2022.
Read moreThe Greens were in the spotlight ahead of the German federal election. What were the key issues shaping public debate and where does the party stand?
Read moreGreen MP Urszula Zielinska discusses issues shaping political debate in Poland and the prospect of the 2023 elections.
Read moreGreens in the UK have made significant breakthroughs at the local level. Where has this success come from and where might it lead?
Read moreSpanish MP Inés Sabanés on the country’s unstable politics and the need to re-politicise everyday life.
Read moreMEP Alviina Alametsä explains what the results of June 2021 local elections mean for Finnish politics and the country’s place in Europe.
Read moreAfter a difficult year in 2021, the Dutch Greens are looking to the battles that lie ahead.
Read moreWe spoke with MP Tomas Tomilinas who explained the issues driving politics in Lithuania today.
Read moreInês de Sousa Real explains how unemployment, corruption, and short-sighted policies are holding Portugal back from a greener future.
Read moreMP Sigrid Maurer explains the realities of being in coalition with the Conservatives and what lies ahead for the Austrian Green Party.
Read moreAs the October 2021 elections loomed, we asked Green party co-chair Michal Berg how the Greens hope to shape the debate.
Read moreFollowing an impressive rise in recent years, the Czech Pirate Party became one of the main contenders in the country’s 2021 national elections.
Read moreWe met with Pia Olsen, the leader of the Socialist People’s Party, to discuss the party’s growing support, climate policy, and Denmark’s relationship with Europe.
Read moreWe asked Mohssin El Ghabri how ECOLO is navigating the current Belgian context and the party’s political ambitions.
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