Twenty Years of European Greens
1984 - 2004
edited by Arnold Cassola & Per Gahrton
Jef Leestmans
Groen Links (Holland)
- EFGP Treasurer 1997-2001
It was an amazing and unforgettable meeting in Finland June 1993 when the Federation was founded. The event was so exciting that I hardly slept and went home with an unbelievable energy. It was and is unbelievable that 23 different green parties gathered and agreed on the guiding principles and statutes. I think that no one would have believed at that moment that less than ten years later the European Greens would be in Parliament in 18 countries, and even in Government in some countries.
The three pillars of the Guiding Principles are Ecology, Peace and Democracy. The Greens recognised that a sustainable society is only possible in a combination of ecology, real peace and democracy; without one of these pillars a sustainable future is impossible. I know that there were situations when it was hard to believe that parties and green decision-makers have read our guiding principles, but one can say that the three pillars are still our guiding principles.
The Federation evolved from what was only an organisation into a political body. The Federation produced several political papers. The one on security is in my opinion the most important one although the process isn’t yet finished. We have now a good document for conflict handling and in these troublesome days with the US threat to attack Iraq we can see that we are speaking with one voice. Not only a European voice but a world-wide green voice. We may not forget that we are now a part of a world-wide green network through the Global Green Co-ordination and Network.
Some believe that the foundation of a European Green Party will be the end of the Federation. I think it is a new chance for the Federation. With a good construction it is possible that we will build, with the European Green Party as framework, a stronger Federation. Of course we need the courage to give the non EU-parties their vote also in EU-matters. And that no decisions will be made in the European Green Party without the voice of those parties without MEPs. Once elected, it is easy to forget that voting systems and situations are different in all countries.
But what am I worrying about? This can’t be a problem for an organisation with Democracy as its third pillar.
