Twenty Years of European Greens
1984 - 2004
edited by Arnold Cassola & Per Gahrton
Paolo Bergamaschi I Verdi (Italy)
EGC delegate in Majvik, Finland 1993
Coordination Secretariat Member
1989 - 1993
EFGP Committee Member
1993 - 1997
I was elected in the secretariat of the Coordination of the European Greens at the end of 1989 and was one of those who prepared the transition to the Federation. At that time the structure was rather loose and the only occasions we had for an exchange of views were the coordination meetings that were held two or three times a year. The secretariat had no real power: we simply had to take note of the standpoints of the different green parties, prepare the meetings and represent the coordination when needed.
The political landscape was, however, changing rapidly, with the rise of green parties all over Europe and the increasing pace of EU integration. More and more parties were trying to reshape their profile at the supranational level while, on the contrary, Greens tended more to preserve their pre-political grassroot-oriented state. After the World Summit of 1992 most of us felt inadequate in terms of means and visibility to cope with the upcoming challenges. Something had to change.
Furthermore within the coordination a sort of positive competition started between Green parties represented in the European Parliament and the ones that were not. The Green group was much more effective and attractive for media and public opinion than the coordination. Another decisive reason for the strengthening of ties between Green parties was the growing participation in our meetings of Greens coming from Eastern Europe. They needed our support and assistance in political and economic terms and we had to try to satisfy their requests in a more efficient way.
The «upgrade» of the coordination to a federation was therefore in the logic of the events. Ever since, we have learnt how to work better together and to use our political strength wherever necessary both at the institutional and non institutional level in synergy with non governmental organisations.
Needless to say that today the Federation has grown a lot in reputation and credibility. However, sometimes the divide between EU green parties and non EU parties and the divide between Green parties in government and the ones who are not seems to be deepening. Probably we need a step forward and this can only be a real transnational European Green party. Are we ready for this?
