Twenty Years of European Greens
1984 - 2004
edited by Arnold Cassola & Per Gahrton
Felix Braz Dei Greng (Luxembourg)
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EGC delegate in Majvik, Finland 1993
Apparently, the Greens go by decades. The 70s stood for the birth of the first regional and national parties, the 80s for the creation of the Coordination and the 90s for the building of a federation. This decade will hopefully see the founding of a European green party and the expansion of the Global Green Coordination.
The “Majvik decade” is coming to an end. Time to look back, but also to look forward.
In 1993, “Majvik” was a success because it was necessary. At that time, it was vital for our movement, especially for those member parties who had to face (immediately) the Maastricht treaty and prepare the European elections of 1994, to have new structures that made qualified decisions possible. The Greens had to step from a more technical and administrative to a political structure or, in other terms, from the coordination to a federation.
In my understanding, the early 90s’ search for a new but common European political programme and structure was successful and still is because of the respect paid to two essential points: 1. the need of a pan-European structure as an answer to the fall of the Berlin wall; 2. a substantial participation of all the members regardless of their “geo-political” strength and origin and the rejection of hegemonic positions.
The first Council meeting of the newly created European Federation of Green Parties showed that despite the fact that “Majvik” was right in its positioning and in the choice of its guiding principles, nothing would be easy and that nothing would happen by itself. Why? Because even green politics is made by human beings, by individuals!
I should therefore be allowed to have special thoughts for three of them, three who in 1993 were already experienced politicians: Leo Cox, Anne de Boer and Helmut Lippelt. They are definitely not the only ones that could be mentioned at this point, but in my opinion they stand out more than others for our political east-west federation without hegemonic positions.
For 10 years, “Majvik” has made sense. It should go on making sense. In the coming months and years, the green movement will have to deepen and enlarge its cooperation. The discussions and actions about the Global Green Coordination or a European green party, with structures and budget, open the way.
10 years of green federation: still going strong while others are still going wrong!
