Worldwide green parties
Encyclopedia
A Green party or ecologist party is a formally organized political party
based on the principles of Green politics
. These principles usually include social justice
, reliance on grassroots democracy
, nonviolence
, and an emphasis on environmentalism
. "Greens" believe that the exercise of these principles leads to world health.
In contrast, formally organized Green parties may follow a coherent ideology
that includes not only environmentalism, but often also other concerns such as social justice
, consensus decision-making
, and pacifism. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation for world peace. The best-known statement of the above Green values is the Four Pillars of the Green Party
, adopted by the German Greens
in 1979-1980 (but forsaken since). The Global Greens Charter
lists six guiding principles which are ecological wisdom, social justice, participatory democracy, nonviolence, sustainability and respect for diversity.
s call for social reform to cut abuse of natural resources
. Examples include Green parties as well as Greenpeace
, which was founded in the 1970s concurrently with many Green parties. Its aims agree with those of many green movements, though it approaches its objectives in different ways.
which contested the April 1972 state election
in Tasmania, Australia
and the Values Party
of New Zealand
, which contested the May 1972 New Zealand general election
. The first green party in Europe was the Popular Movement for the Environment, founded in 1972 in the Swiss
canton of Neuchâtel. The first national green party in Europe was PEOPLE, founded in Britain in February 1973, which turned eventually into the Ecology Party, and then the Green Party
.
The first Green Party to achieve national prominence was the German Green Party, famous for their opposition to nuclear power
, as well as an expression of anti-centralist and pacifist values traditional to greens. They were founded in 1980 and have been in coalition governments at state
level for some years. They were in federal government with the Social Democratic Party of Germany
in a so-called Red-Green alliance
from 1998 to 2005. In 2001, they reached an agreement to end reliance on nuclear power in Germany, and agreed to remain in coalition and support the government of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
in the 2001 Afghan War
. This put them at odds with many Greens worldwide but demonstrated also that they were capable of difficult political tradeoffs.
In Finland
, in 1995, the Finnish Green Party was the first European Green party to be part of a national Cabinet. Other Green parties that have participated in government at national level include the Groen! (formerly Agalev) and Ecolo
in Belgium
, Les Verts
in France and the Green Party
in Ireland. In the Netherlands GroenLinks ("GreenLeft") was founded in 1990 from four small left-wing parties and is now a stable faction in the Dutch parliament.
Around the world, individuals have formed many Green parties over the last thirty years. Green parties now exist in most countries with democratic systems: from Canada
to Peru
; from Norway
to South Africa
; from Ireland
to Mongolia
. There is Green representation at national, regional and local levels in many countries around the world.
Most of the Green parties are formed to win elections, and so organize themselves by the presented electoral or political districts. But that does not apply universally: The Green Party of Alaska
is organized along bioregional lines to practice bioregional democracy.
Green parties are often formed in a given jurisdiction by a coalition of scientific ecologists, community environmentalists, and local (or national) leftist groups or groups concerned with peace or citizens rights.
A Red-Green alliance
is an alliance between Green parties and social democratic
parties. Such alliances are typically formed for the purpose of elections (mostly in first-past-the-post
election systems), or, after elections, for the purpose of forming a government.
Some Greens, such as those in Hawaii
, find more effective alliances with more conservative groups (Blue-Green alliance
) or indigenous peoples
- who seek to prevent disruption of traditional ways of life or to save ecological resources they depend on. Although Greens find much to support in fostering these types of alliances with groups of historically different backgrounds, they also feel strongly about forming diverse communities through encouragement of diversity
in social and economic demographics
in communities, especially in the United States.
Alliances often highlight strategic differences between participating in parties and advancing the values of the Green movement. For example, Greens became allied with centre-right parties to oust the centre-left ruling PRI party of Mexico
. Ralph Nader
, the 2000 presidential nominee of the US Greens, campaigned with ultra-conservative Pat Buchanan
on joint issues such as farm policy and bans on corporate funding of election campaigns, although this "alliance" between Nader and Buchanan was very specifically limited to the purpose of showing that there was broad support for certain specific issues, across the political spectrum.
US Greens grew dramatically throughout 2001. However, stable coalitions (such as that in Germany) tend to be formed between elections with 'the left' on social issues, and 'the grassroots right' on such issues as irresponsible corporate subsidies and public ethics.
On 13 June 2007, the Irish Green Party
represented by 6 members of parliament or TDs agreed to go into a coalition government for the first time in their history, with Fianna Fáil
. Fianna Fáil and the Green Party were joined by the Progressive Democrats
in coalition and also enjoyed the support of a number of independent members of parliament. (The Progressive Democrats have since been dissolved as a party, though their members remain in parliament.) The Green Party held two Cabinet seats and also two junior ministries until their withdrawal from government in January 2011.
In the Czech Republic, the Green Party
was part of the governing coalition, together with the Civic Democrats (ODS) and the Christian Democrats (KDU–ČSL) from January 2007 until the government collapsed in March 2009. The Finnish Green Party is now the only one actively participating in government.
, a German who was of interest to the American media because she had an American step-father. Since its foundation in 1980 and merger with Alliance 90
after the German reunification, Kelly's party, now named Alliance '90/The Greens
, has become one of Europe's most important Green parties. It played an important role in the formation of national-level Green parties in other countries such as Spain
as well.
(EFA), an alliance of "stateless nations", such as the Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru
and Scottish National Party
. Together European Green Party/EFA have 50 seats and they are the fourth largest party in the European Parliament.
While on many issues European Greens practice the same policies, one issue divides European Green parties: the European Union. Some Green parties, like the Dutch GreenLeft
, the Swiss Green Party
, the Irish Green Party
and the German Alliance '90/The Greens, are pro-European
, the Green parties in Sweden
and England and Wales
are moderately eurosceptic
.
Some Green parties have been part of governing coalitions. The first one was the Finnish Green League
that entered government in 1995. The Italian Federation of the Greens
, the French Greens
, the German Alliance '90/The Greens and both Belgian Green parties, the French-speaking Ecolo
and the Dutch-speaking Agalev were part of government during the late 1990s. Most successful was the Latvian Green Party
, who supplied the Prime Minister of Latvia
in 2004. The Swedish Green party was a long term supporter of the social-democratic minority government until the election 2006 when the social-democratic party lost. The Irish Green Party were in government
from 2007 until January 2011 when the party withdrew their support for the ruling coalition. During their period in office, the Irish Green Party held two Cabinet portfolios including Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
In Scandinavia, left-wing socialist parties have formed the Nordic Green Left Alliance
. These parties have the same ideals as European Greens. However, they do not cooperate with the Global Greens
or European Greens, but instead form a combined parliamentary group with the Party of the European Left
, which unites communists and post-communists. There is one exception, in 2004 the MEP for Danish Socialist People's Party
has left the Nordic Green Left parliamentary group and has joined the Green parliamentary group in the European parliament. The Socialist People's Party is currently an observer at the European Green Party
and the Global Greens. In 2004, Latvia
became the first country in the world to have a Green politician become Head of Government, but in 2006 the Green Party received only 16.71 of the vote. In the Estonia
2007 parliamentary elections
, the Estonian Greens
won 7.1 percent of the vote, and a mandate for six seats in the country's parliament, the Riigikogu
.
In some countries Greens have found it difficult to win any representation in the national parliament. Three reasons can be found for this. It includes countries with a first past the post electoral system, such as the United Kingdom. However, despite the first past the post system in the United Kingdom, the Green Party of England and Wales
won their first seat in the House of Commons when Caroline Lucas
won the seat of Brighton Pavilion. The Scottish Green Party
has had success in the devolved Scottish Parliament
and the Irish Green Party in Northern Ireland
has had success in the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly
, where the first-past-the-post system is not used. In countries where a party with similar ideals is stronger, such as Norway
and Denmark, Green parties tend to perform worse. In some Eastern European countries, like Romania
and Poland
, Green parties are still in the process of formation and have therefore not gained enough support. The Green Party of Bulgaria
is a part of the left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria
, currently in opposition. It has no parliamentary representation but it did supply one Deputy Minister in the government of Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev
from 2005 to 2009.
The European Green Party
has worked to support weak Green parties in European countries. Until recently, they were giving support to Green parties in the Mediterranean countries. These Green parties are now making electoral gains, e.g. in Spain, Greece and Republic of Cyprus
, or getting organized to do so, e.g. in Malta
. Therefore the EGP is now turning its attention to Eastern Europe – all these countries have Green parties, but in materially poor Eastern Europe the success of Green Parties is very patchy, except for Hungary, where the local Green party, Politics Can Be Different
(LMP), has succeeded in getting into the parliament and many city councils.
and Australia
. In New Zealand the Green Party of New Zealand currently holds thirteen seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives
after the 2011general election
. The Australian Greens
hold 9 seats in the Australian Senate
and one seat in the Australian House of Representatives
. They also have senators in the state parliaments
of five states and one territory. Greens also hold representative positions in local government across New Zealand and Australia (where a number of local government authorities are controlled by Green councilors). The Greens took the seat of Melbourne from the Australian Labor Party in 2010 with candidate Adam Bandt. This is the first time the Greens have won a Lower House seat at a general election (they have won two seats at by-elections).
Proportional representation
has strengthened the position of the Australian Greens and the Green Party of New Zealand and enabled them to participate directly in legislatures and policy-making committees. In countries following British-style 'first past the post' electoral rules, Green parties face barriers to gaining federal or provincial/regional/state seats. The Australian Labor Party
's practice of allocating a portion of ALP ticket votes
to Australian Greens has helped bring AG candidates into parliament.
In the most recent ACT election
in Australia, the Greens won 15.6% of the vote, winning 4 out of 17 seats. Shane Rattenbury was elected the speaker of the assembly, the first time a Green party member had held such a position in any parliament or assembly in Australia. Similarly, a recent Newspoll shows Greens support continues to increase on the national level, currently 13% (The Greens polled 7.8% at the 2007 Federal election).
The Green Confederation
(Confédération Verte) in Vanuatu
won 2 out of 52 seats in the last legislative elections
on 2 September 2008. Its most prominent member is Moana Carcasses Kalosil
, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Labour.
, and there remains no representation in the United States. Accordingly, in these countries, Green parties focus on electoral reform
. In Mexico, however, the Partido Verde Ecologista
has 17 deputies
and four senators
in Congress
as a result of the 2006 elections.
In Canada, the strongest provincial Green Parties are the Green Party of British Columbia
and the Green Party of Ontario
though they are yet to win any seats in a provincial legislature. Federally, the Green Party of Canada
received 3.91% of the popular vote in the 2011 federal election and its support and influence continues to rise, largely due to new Canadian laws that are more favourable to the growth and funding of smaller parties (political parties receive $1.82 per vote per year of federal funding, as long as they achieve minimum 2% of the popular vote). Support waned slightly in the 2011 federal election when it captured 3.91% of the popular vote, down from the 6.8% captured in the 2008 federal election
. Although Ms. May was the first elected Member of Parliament, the first seat was gained in the Canadian House of Commons
on August 30, 2008 when sitting Independent MP Blair Wilson
joined the party. In the 2008 federal election the party captured 6.8% of the popular vote. In the 2008 Vancouver municipal election
, Stuart Mackinnon, a member of the Vancouver Green Party, was elected to the Vancouver Parks Board. See also: Provincial parties in Canada & List of Green party leaders in Canada.
In the United States, Greens first ran for public office in 1985. Since then the Green Party of the U.S. has claimed electoral victories at the municipal, county and state
levels. The first U.S. Greens to be elected were David Conley and Frank Koehn in Wisconsin 1986. Each was elected to a position on the County Board of Supervisors in Douglas and Bayfield counties respectively. Keiko Bonk
was first elected in 1992 in Hawaii County, becoming Official Chairwoman in 1995. The first Green Party mayor http://www.gp.org/elections/Green-Mayors/ was Kelly Weaverling, elected in Cordova, AK in 1991. Approximately 160 Greens hold elected office across the US as of summer 2009. http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml. The first U.S. Green elected to a state legislature was Audie Bock
in 1999, to the California State Assembly
, followed by John Eder
to the Maine House of Representatives
in 2002 and 2004 and Richard Carroll
to the Arkansas House of Representatives
in 2008. While in office in 2003 in the New Jersey General Assembly
, incumbent Matt Ahearn made a party switch
to Green for the remainder of his term. The Green Party has contested four U.S. presidential elections: in 1996 and 2000 with Ralph Nader
for President and Winona LaDuke
as Vice President, in 2004 with David Cobb
for President and Pat LaMarche
for Vice President, and in 2008 with Cynthia McKinney
for President and Rosa Clemente
for Vice President. As of 2011, the Green Party of the United States, http://gp.org, conducts all United States Green Party electoral activities. It and The Greens/Green Party USA conduct some of the grassroots organizing activities in the continental U.S.
Other than hosting the first Afghanistan
peace conference as part of the German government, Green parties in the developed world have made few concrete moves to spread their values using the diplomatic channels. This is usually seen as one of the responsibilities of the Green movement - allowing parties to concentrate on their voters. However, the leader of the Kenyan Green Party, Wangari Maathai
, won the Nobel Peace Prize
in 2004, enhancing the image of Green parties across the third world.
In the greater Middle East
region, a few Green parties have been created, such as the Green Party of Pakistan
since 2002 and Green Party of India since 2010, the Green Party of Lebanon
, and the Green Party of Saudi Arabia, but many of these Green parties are underground
organizations.
was created under the leadership of Ingrid Betancourt
but dissolved after her infamous kidnapping. Later, the Visionaries Party was created by Antanas Mockus
whose ideals earned him the Bogotá Mayoral Office twice.
In the 2010 Colombian presidential election
a green party has been created under the name Colombian Green Party, with former Bogotá
mayor Antanas Mockus being the leader.
's Green Party in the Brazilian presidential election, 2010
won 19.33% of the vote of the first round taking enough votes from Dilma Rousseff
of the incumbent PT
party to stop her getting the 50% needed to avoid a second round of which she went on to beat Jose Serra of the opposition PSDB party. Despite only winning numerically the vote in only 1 state; the relatively electorally small Federal District which holds the capital of Brazil; the Green Party interestingly came second to Dilma in Amapa
, Amazonas, Pernambuco
and in Rio de Janeiro
in front of Jose Serra
. The Green party also tied with Serra in Ceara, both having 16.36% of the vote, although Dilma won the state. Maranhão
also had a 1.5% difference in vote between Serra and Marina with the Green Party coming third. In São Paulo
, the Green Party numerically had their strongest showing with almost 5 million votes taking 20.77% of the vote. Success in the legislature however only amounted to winning 2 more seats to a total of 15 in the Chamber of Deputies and the loss of their only senate seat.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
based on the principles of Green politics
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
. These principles usually include social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, reliance on grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity....
, nonviolence
Nonviolence
Nonviolence has two meanings. It can refer, first, to a general philosophy of abstention from violence because of moral or religious principle It can refer to the behaviour of people using nonviolent action Nonviolence has two (closely related) meanings. (1) It can refer, first, to a general...
, and an emphasis on environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
. "Greens" believe that the exercise of these principles leads to world health.
Definitions
There are distinctions between "green" parties and "Green" parties. Any party, faction, or politician may be labeled "green" if it emphasizes environmental causes. Indeed, the term may even be used as a verb: it is not uncommon to hear of "greening" a party or a candidate.In contrast, formally organized Green parties may follow a coherent ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
that includes not only environmentalism, but often also other concerns such as social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, consensus decision-making
Consensus decision-making
Consensus decision-making is a group decision making process that seeks the consent, not necessarily the agreement, of participants and the resolution of objections. Consensus is defined by Merriam-Webster as, first, general agreement, and second, group solidarity of belief or sentiment. It has its...
, and pacifism. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation for world peace. The best-known statement of the above Green values is the Four Pillars of the Green Party
Four Pillars of the Green Party
The Four Pillars of the Green Party are a foundational statement of Green politics and form the basis of many worldwide Green parties. The Four Pillars are:* Ecological wisdom* Social justice* Grassroots democracy* Nonviolence...
, adopted by the German Greens
Alliance '90/The Greens
Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...
in 1979-1980 (but forsaken since). The Global Greens Charter
Global Greens Charter
The Global Greens Charter is a document that 800 delegates from the Green parties of 72 countries decided upon a first gathering of the Global Greens in Canberra, Australia in April 2001 ....
lists six guiding principles which are ecological wisdom, social justice, participatory democracy, nonviolence, sustainability and respect for diversity.
Green movements
Green movementGreen Movement
The Green Movement refers to a series of actions after the 2009 Iranian presidential election, in which protesters demanded the removal of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from office...
s call for social reform to cut abuse of natural resources
Natural Resources
Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...
. Examples include Green parties as well as Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
, which was founded in the 1970s concurrently with many Green parties. Its aims agree with those of many green movements, though it approaches its objectives in different ways.
Influence
The world's first political parties to campaign on a predominantly environmental platform were the United Tasmania GroupUnited Tasmania Group
The United Tasmania Group is generally acknowledged as the world's first Green party. The party was formed on 23 March 1972, during a meeting of the Lake Pedder Action Group at the Hobart town hall in order to field political candidates in the April 1972 state election. They received 3.9% of the...
which contested the April 1972 state election
Tasmanian state election, 1972
Elections for the Tasmanian House of Assembly were held on 22 April 1972. The one-term Liberal government of Premier Angus Bethune had collapsed following the withdrawal of support by Kevin Lyons...
in Tasmania, Australia
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and the Values Party
Values Party
The Values Party, considered the world's first national-level environmentalist party that pre-dated any fashionable Green terminology, was established in 1972 at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, one of its initial leaders being Tony Brunt...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, which contested the May 1972 New Zealand general election
New Zealand general election, 1972
The New Zealand general election of 1972 was held to elect MPs to the 37th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Labour Party, led by Norman Kirk, defeated the governing National Party.-Background:...
. The first green party in Europe was the Popular Movement for the Environment, founded in 1972 in the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
canton of Neuchâtel. The first national green party in Europe was PEOPLE, founded in Britain in February 1973, which turned eventually into the Ecology Party, and then the Green Party
Green Party (UK)
The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :...
.
The first Green Party to achieve national prominence was the German Green Party, famous for their opposition to nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
, as well as an expression of anti-centralist and pacifist values traditional to greens. They were founded in 1980 and have been in coalition governments at state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
level for some years. They were in federal government with the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
in a so-called Red-Green alliance
Red-green alliance
In politics, a red-green alliance is an alliance of "red" social-democratic or democratic socialist parties with "green" environmentalist parties. The alliance is often based on common left political views, especially a shared distrust of corporate or capitalist institutions...
from 1998 to 2005. In 2001, they reached an agreement to end reliance on nuclear power in Germany, and agreed to remain in coalition and support the government of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor...
in the 2001 Afghan War
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. This put them at odds with many Greens worldwide but demonstrated also that they were capable of difficult political tradeoffs.
In Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, in 1995, the Finnish Green Party was the first European Green party to be part of a national Cabinet. Other Green parties that have participated in government at national level include the Groen! (formerly Agalev) and Ecolo
Ecolo
Ecolo is a French-speaking Belgian green political party in Wallonia, Brussels and the German-speaking Community of Belgium...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Les Verts
The Greens (France)
The Greens were a Green political party to the centre-left of the political spectrum in France. They had officially been in existence since 1984, but their spiritual roots could be traced as far back as René Dumont’s candidacy for the presidency in 1974...
in France and the Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
in Ireland. In the Netherlands GroenLinks ("GreenLeft") was founded in 1990 from four small left-wing parties and is now a stable faction in the Dutch parliament.
Around the world, individuals have formed many Green parties over the last thirty years. Green parties now exist in most countries with democratic systems: from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
; from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
; from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. There is Green representation at national, regional and local levels in many countries around the world.
Most of the Green parties are formed to win elections, and so organize themselves by the presented electoral or political districts. But that does not apply universally: The Green Party of Alaska
Green Party of Alaska
The Green Party of Alaska is the state party organization for Alaska of the Green Party of the United States. Alaska was the first state to gain Green Party ballot access, in 1990, when Jim Sykes ran for governor. Sykes had previously filed a ballot access lawsuit, citing an earlier case, Vogler v...
is organized along bioregional lines to practice bioregional democracy.
Alliances
Depending on local conditions or issues, platforms and alliances may vary. In line with the goal of democracy, neighboring ecoregions may require different policies or protections.Green parties are often formed in a given jurisdiction by a coalition of scientific ecologists, community environmentalists, and local (or national) leftist groups or groups concerned with peace or citizens rights.
A Red-Green alliance
Red-green alliance
In politics, a red-green alliance is an alliance of "red" social-democratic or democratic socialist parties with "green" environmentalist parties. The alliance is often based on common left political views, especially a shared distrust of corporate or capitalist institutions...
is an alliance between Green parties and social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
parties. Such alliances are typically formed for the purpose of elections (mostly in first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
election systems), or, after elections, for the purpose of forming a government.
Some Greens, such as those in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, find more effective alliances with more conservative groups (Blue-Green alliance
Blue-Green Alliance
A Blue-green alliance describes an alliance between political parties and other organizations. It has several different meanings that may be evidence that green politics is "neither left nor right", and can ally with either in a given context.-Canada:...
) or indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
- who seek to prevent disruption of traditional ways of life or to save ecological resources they depend on. Although Greens find much to support in fostering these types of alliances with groups of historically different backgrounds, they also feel strongly about forming diverse communities through encouragement of diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
in social and economic demographics
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
in communities, especially in the United States.
Alliances often highlight strategic differences between participating in parties and advancing the values of the Green movement. For example, Greens became allied with centre-right parties to oust the centre-left ruling PRI party of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, the 2000 presidential nominee of the US Greens, campaigned with ultra-conservative Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
on joint issues such as farm policy and bans on corporate funding of election campaigns, although this "alliance" between Nader and Buchanan was very specifically limited to the purpose of showing that there was broad support for certain specific issues, across the political spectrum.
US Greens grew dramatically throughout 2001. However, stable coalitions (such as that in Germany) tend to be formed between elections with 'the left' on social issues, and 'the grassroots right' on such issues as irresponsible corporate subsidies and public ethics.
On 13 June 2007, the Irish Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
represented by 6 members of parliament or TDs agreed to go into a coalition government for the first time in their history, with Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
. Fianna Fáil and the Green Party were joined by the Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
in coalition and also enjoyed the support of a number of independent members of parliament. (The Progressive Democrats have since been dissolved as a party, though their members remain in parliament.) The Green Party held two Cabinet seats and also two junior ministries until their withdrawal from government in January 2011.
In the Czech Republic, the Green Party
Green Party (Czech Republic)
The Green Party is a political party in the Czech Republic.The party was founded in February 1990 but for a long time it struggled to obtain significant influence in Czech politics. In the 2002 legislative election the party received 2.4% of the vote...
was part of the governing coalition, together with the Civic Democrats (ODS) and the Christian Democrats (KDU–ČSL) from January 2007 until the government collapsed in March 2009. The Finnish Green Party is now the only one actively participating in government.
Belgian and German roots
The first green parties in Europe were founded in the late 1970s, following the rise of environmental awareness and the development of new social movements. Green parties in Belgium first made a breakthrough. Belgium had Green members of parliament elected first in the 1970s, and with seats on the local council, held the balance of power in the city of Liege, so were the first to go into coalition with the ruling party on that council. In 1979 political campaigns and dissident groups feeling under represented in west German politics formed a coalition to contest the 1979 elections to the European Parliament. Although they did not win any seats, the groups in this association formally agreed to become a party and won a breakthrough in the German national elections of 1983. They were not the first Green Party in Europe to have members elected nationally but the impression was created that they had been, because they attracted the most media attention. This was partly due to their charismatic leader Petra KellyPetra Kelly
Petra Karin Kelly was a German politician and activist. She was instrumental in founding the German Green Party, the first Green party to rise to prominence worldwide.- Early life :...
, a German who was of interest to the American media because she had an American step-father. Since its foundation in 1980 and merger with Alliance 90
Alliance 90
Alliance 90 was an alliance of three non-Communist political groups in East Germany. It merged with the German Green Party in 1993 to form Alliance '90/The Greens....
after the German reunification, Kelly's party, now named Alliance '90/The Greens
Alliance '90/The Greens
Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...
, has become one of Europe's most important Green parties. It played an important role in the formation of national-level Green parties in other countries such as Spain
Confederation of The Greens
The Confederation of the Greens is a green political party in Spain....
as well.
1984-1989: A new political force
In 1984 Greens agreed a common platform for the European Parliament Elections and the first Green Members of the European Parliament were elected here. Germany, a stronghold of the Green movement, elected seven MEPs; two more came from Belgium and two from the Netherlands. As those nine MEPs did not entitle the Greens to form a parliamentary group on their own, they concluded an alliance with MEPs from Italy, Denmark, and regionalists from Flanders and Ireland to form the GRAEL (Green Alternative European Link) group, also known as the Rainbow group. Politically they engaged in the fight against environmental pollution, nuclear energy (1986 saw the Chernobyl disaster), the promotion of animal protection and the campaign against the demolition of Brussels by speculation fuelled by the presence of the European institutions.From the 1990s until today
After years of co-operation between the national Green Parties they formed a pan-European alliance that unites most European Green parties. The Greens are a party within the European parliament with 46 seats, as of June 2009. It has a long standing alliance with the European Free AllianceEuropean Free Alliance
The European Free Alliance is a European political party. It consists of various national-level political parties in Europe which advocate either full political independence , or some form of devolution or self-governance for their country or region...
(EFA), an alliance of "stateless nations", such as the Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
and Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
. Together European Green Party/EFA have 50 seats and they are the fourth largest party in the European Parliament.
While on many issues European Greens practice the same policies, one issue divides European Green parties: the European Union. Some Green parties, like the Dutch GreenLeft
GreenLeft
GreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
, the Swiss Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
, the Irish Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
and the German Alliance '90/The Greens, are pro-European
Pro-European
Pro-European is a subjective term applied to a person who supports the idea of European unification and generally supports further 'deepening' of European integration, specifically in the context of political argument over the current and future status of the EU and its policies.-The Pro-European...
, the Green parties in Sweden
Green Party (Sweden)
-External links:**...
and England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
are moderately eurosceptic
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
.
Some Green parties have been part of governing coalitions. The first one was the Finnish Green League
Green League
The Green League is a centrist green liberal political party in Finland. It has ten seats in the Finnish Parliament and two in the European Parliament. The current chairperson is Ville Niinistö....
that entered government in 1995. The Italian Federation of the Greens
Federation of the Greens
The Federation of the Greens is a green political party in Italy, which includes also a large eco-socialist faction. Since 2009 the party leader is Angelo Bonelli.-Early years:...
, the French Greens
The Greens (France)
The Greens were a Green political party to the centre-left of the political spectrum in France. They had officially been in existence since 1984, but their spiritual roots could be traced as far back as René Dumont’s candidacy for the presidency in 1974...
, the German Alliance '90/The Greens and both Belgian Green parties, the French-speaking Ecolo
Ecolo
Ecolo is a French-speaking Belgian green political party in Wallonia, Brussels and the German-speaking Community of Belgium...
and the Dutch-speaking Agalev were part of government during the late 1990s. Most successful was the Latvian Green Party
Latvian Green Party
The Latvian Green Party is a green political party in Latvia. It was founded January 13, 1990.-Chairpersons:Three co-chairpersons share the leadership position at any one time...
, who supplied the Prime Minister of Latvia
Prime Minister of Latvia
The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers...
in 2004. The Swedish Green party was a long term supporter of the social-democratic minority government until the election 2006 when the social-democratic party lost. The Irish Green Party were in government
Government of the 30th Dáil
The 30th Dáil was elected at the 2007 general election on 24 May 2007 and first met on 14 June when President Mary McAleese appointed Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, on the nomination of Dáil Éireann...
from 2007 until January 2011 when the party withdrew their support for the ruling coalition. During their period in office, the Irish Green Party held two Cabinet portfolios including Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
In Scandinavia, left-wing socialist parties have formed the Nordic Green Left Alliance
Nordic Green Left Alliance
The Nordic Green Left Alliance is an alliance of Nordic left-wing parties, founded in Reykjavík, Iceland on February 1, 2004.The member organizations of NGLA are: Left Alliance Left-Green Movement Left Party Socialist Left Party Socialist People's Party Republicans Inuit Ataqatigiit Most of...
. These parties have the same ideals as European Greens. However, they do not cooperate with the Global Greens
Global Greens
The Global Greens is a global network of Green parties and political movements. It was founded in 2001 in Canberra, Australia at the First Global Greens Congress, where the Global Green Charter was approved. The Second Global Greens Congress was held in 2008 in Sao Paolo, Brazil...
or European Greens, but instead form a combined parliamentary group with the Party of the European Left
Party of the European Left
The Party of the European Left, commonly abbreviated to just the European Left, is a political party at European level and an association of democratic socialist and communist political parties in the European Union and other European countries. It was formed in January 2004 for the purposes of...
, which unites communists and post-communists. There is one exception, in 2004 the MEP for Danish Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet...
has left the Nordic Green Left parliamentary group and has joined the Green parliamentary group in the European parliament. The Socialist People's Party is currently an observer at the European Green Party
European Green Party
The European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...
and the Global Greens. In 2004, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
became the first country in the world to have a Green politician become Head of Government, but in 2006 the Green Party received only 16.71 of the vote. In the Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
2007 parliamentary elections
Estonian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections took place in Estonia on Sunday, March 4, 2007 to elect members of the Riigikogu. The electoral system was a two-tier semi-open list proportional representation system with a 5% election threshold...
, the Estonian Greens
Estonian Greens
Estonian Greens is an Estonian green political party. Valdur Lahtvee, an organizer, reported that on 2006-11-01, more than 1000 members had been recruited for the Green Party Initiative Group to register as a political party under Estonian law, opening doors for running at the coming parliament...
won 7.1 percent of the vote, and a mandate for six seats in the country's parliament, the Riigikogu
Riigikogu
The Riigikogu is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu...
.
In some countries Greens have found it difficult to win any representation in the national parliament. Three reasons can be found for this. It includes countries with a first past the post electoral system, such as the United Kingdom. However, despite the first past the post system in the United Kingdom, the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
won their first seat in the House of Commons when Caroline Lucas
Caroline Lucas
Caroline Patricia Lucas is a British politician. Lucas is the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, and the Green Party's first and only Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom...
won the seat of Brighton Pavilion. The Scottish Green Party
Scottish Green Party
The Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:...
has had success in the devolved Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
and the Irish Green Party in Northern Ireland
Green Party in Northern Ireland
The Green Party in Northern Ireland is the Northern Ireland subdivision of the Irish Green Party, based on the principles of Green politics. It works in co-operation with Green parties across Europe, and was formerly a party in its own right...
has had success in the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
, where the first-past-the-post system is not used. In countries where a party with similar ideals is stronger, such as Norway
Green Party (Norway)
The Norwegian Greens is a Norwegian political party, formed in October 1988 from a number of local environmental election lists. The party has no members of parliament , but has some representation in municipal councils...
and Denmark, Green parties tend to perform worse. In some Eastern European countries, like Romania
Ecologist Party of Romania
The Romanian Ecologist Party was founded by Petre Metanie, a teacher, in 1978 as a political organisation opposed to Nicolae Ceauşescu and the Romanian Communist Party's policy of indiscriminate economic growth, without regard for ecological consequences...
and Poland
The Greens (Poland)
Greens 2004 is Poland's Green Party. It was founded in September 2003 and formally registered in February 2004. The party is not currently represented in either the Sejm or the Senate...
, Green parties are still in the process of formation and have therefore not gained enough support. The Green Party of Bulgaria
Green Party of Bulgaria
The Green Party of Bulgaria is a political party in Bulgaria. It is part of the Coalition for Bulgaria, an alliance led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party...
is a part of the left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria
Coalition for Bulgaria
The Coalition for Bulgaria is a centre-left electoral alliance in Bulgaria, led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party.-Members of the coalition:2001 / 2005 *Bulgarian Socialist Party ....
, currently in opposition. It has no parliamentary representation but it did supply one Deputy Minister in the government of Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev
Sergey Stanishev
Sergei Dmitrievich Stanishev is a Bulgarian politician who was Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2005 to 2009; currently he is Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and Interim President of the Party of European Socialists...
from 2005 to 2009.
The European Green Party
European Green Party
The European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...
has worked to support weak Green parties in European countries. Until recently, they were giving support to Green parties in the Mediterranean countries. These Green parties are now making electoral gains, e.g. in Spain, Greece and Republic of Cyprus
Ecological and Environmental Movement
The Ecological and Environmental Movement , also rendered as Cyprus Green Party, is a green political party in Cyprus.At the legislative elections, 27 May 2001, the party won 2.0% of the popular vote and 1 out of 56 seats. In the elections of 21 May 2006, the party won 2.0% and 1 out of 56...
, or getting organized to do so, e.g. in Malta
Democratic Alternative (Malta)
The Democratic Alternative is a Green political party in Malta, particularly dedicated to environmentalism.-History:Democratic Alternative was founded in 1989 when former Malta Labour Party President Toni Abela and former Labour MP and Parliamentary whip Wenzu Mintoff joined a number of...
. Therefore the EGP is now turning its attention to Eastern Europe – all these countries have Green parties, but in materially poor Eastern Europe the success of Green Parties is very patchy, except for Hungary, where the local Green party, Politics Can Be Different
Politics Can Be Different
Politics Can Be Different , abbreviated to LMP, is a Hungarian green liberal political party. Founded in 2009, it was one of four parties to win seats in the National Assembly in the 2010 parliamentary election.-History:...
(LMP), has succeeded in getting into the parliament and many city councils.
Oceania
Green parties have achieved national or state parliamentary representation in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In New Zealand the Green Party of New Zealand currently holds thirteen seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
after the 2011general election
New Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
. The Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
hold 9 seats in the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
and one seat in the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
. They also have senators in the state parliaments
Parliaments of the Australian states and territories
The Parliaments of the Australian states and territories are legislative bodies within the federal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. Before the formation of the Commonwealth in 1901, the six Australian colonies were self-governing, with parliaments which had come into existence at various...
of five states and one territory. Greens also hold representative positions in local government across New Zealand and Australia (where a number of local government authorities are controlled by Green councilors). The Greens took the seat of Melbourne from the Australian Labor Party in 2010 with candidate Adam Bandt. This is the first time the Greens have won a Lower House seat at a general election (they have won two seats at by-elections).
Proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
has strengthened the position of the Australian Greens and the Green Party of New Zealand and enabled them to participate directly in legislatures and policy-making committees. In countries following British-style 'first past the post' electoral rules, Green parties face barriers to gaining federal or provincial/regional/state seats. The Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
's practice of allocating a portion of ALP ticket votes
Group voting ticket
Group voting tickets are a way to simplify preferential voting, usually in an election held under the single transferable vote or the alternative vote system....
to Australian Greens has helped bring AG candidates into parliament.
In the most recent ACT election
Australian Capital Territory general election, 2008
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 18 October 2008. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Zed Seselja. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
in Australia, the Greens won 15.6% of the vote, winning 4 out of 17 seats. Shane Rattenbury was elected the speaker of the assembly, the first time a Green party member had held such a position in any parliament or assembly in Australia. Similarly, a recent Newspoll shows Greens support continues to increase on the national level, currently 13% (The Greens polled 7.8% at the 2007 Federal election).
The Green Confederation
Green Confederation
The Greens/Verts is a green political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 2 September 2008, the party won 2 out of 52 seats. Its most prominent member is Moana Carcasses Kalosil, the deputy leader of the opposition and a former cabinet minister.-See also:*Green party*List of...
(Confédération Verte) in Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
won 2 out of 52 seats in the last legislative elections
Vanuatuan general election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Vanuatu on September 2, 2008. In July, the Melanesian Progressive Party requested that they be postponed, contesting the constitutionality of the Peoples Representation Act No. 33 of 2007, which allegedly enabled voters in certain constituencies to vote in two...
on 2 September 2008. Its most prominent member is Moana Carcasses Kalosil
Moana Carcasses Kalosil
Moana Carcasses Kalosil is a ni-Vanuatu politician. From December 2009 to December 2010, he was Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Labour in Edward Natapei's Cabinet. From December 2010 to June 2011, he was Minister of Finance and Economic Management in Sato Kilman's Cabinet.He served as...
, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Labour.
North America
As of the May 2011 there was only one Federal elected member of the Green Party in Canada, Elizabeth MayElizabeth May
Elizabeth Evans May, OC, MP is an American-born Canadian Member of Parliament, environmentalist, writer, activist, lawyer, and the leader of the Green Party of Canada. She was the executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada from 1989 to 2006. She became a Canadian citizen in 1978.May's...
, and there remains no representation in the United States. Accordingly, in these countries, Green parties focus on electoral reform
Electoral reform
Electoral reform is change in electoral systems to improve how public desires are expressed in election results. That can include reforms of:...
. In Mexico, however, the Partido Verde Ecologista
Ecologist Green Party of Mexico
The Ecologist Green Party of Mexico is one of the six political parties to have representation in the Mexican Congress. The party's congressional strength currently stands at 17 deputies and five senators .-Elections 2000:...
has 17 deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Mexico
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Congress of the Union, Mexico's bicameral legislature. The structure and responsibilities of both chambers of Congress are defined in Articles 50 to 70 of the current constitution.-Composition:The Chamber of Deputies is composed of one federal...
and four senators
Senate of Mexico
The Senate of the Republic, constitutionally Chamber of Senators of the Honorable Congress of the Union After a series of reforms during the 1990s, it is now made up of 128 senators:...
in Congress
Congress of Mexico
The Congress of the Union is the legislative branch of the Mexican government...
as a result of the 2006 elections.
In Canada, the strongest provincial Green Parties are the Green Party of British Columbia
Green Party of British Columbia
The Green Party of British Columbia is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. It is led by former Esquimalt municipal councillor, university professor and businessperson Jane Sterk, she was elected by the party in 2007. Penticton realtor and columnist Julius Bloomfield serves as the deputy...
and the Green Party of Ontario
Green Party of Ontario
The Green Party of Ontario is a political party in Ontario, Canada. The party is led by Mike Schreiner. It has never held any seats in the Ontario Legislative Assembly; however, the party did see significant gains in the 2007 provincial election, earning 8% of the popular vote with some candidates...
though they are yet to win any seats in a provincial legislature. Federally, the Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
received 3.91% of the popular vote in the 2011 federal election and its support and influence continues to rise, largely due to new Canadian laws that are more favourable to the growth and funding of smaller parties (political parties receive $1.82 per vote per year of federal funding, as long as they achieve minimum 2% of the popular vote). Support waned slightly in the 2011 federal election when it captured 3.91% of the popular vote, down from the 6.8% captured in the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
. Although Ms. May was the first elected Member of Parliament, the first seat was gained in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
on August 30, 2008 when sitting Independent MP Blair Wilson
Blair Wilson
Blair Wilson was the Canadian Member of Parliament in the 39th Canadian parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country electoral district. He was elected on January 23, 2006 in the 2006 federal election as the Liberal candidate...
joined the party. In the 2008 federal election the party captured 6.8% of the popular vote. In the 2008 Vancouver municipal election
Vancouver municipal election, 2008
The 2008 Vancouver municipal election was held on November 15, 2008, filling seats on the Vancouver School Board, the Parks Board, the Vancouver City Council, and the position of Mayor of Vancouver. It was held at the same time as municipal elections throughout the province...
, Stuart Mackinnon, a member of the Vancouver Green Party, was elected to the Vancouver Parks Board. See also: Provincial parties in Canada & List of Green party leaders in Canada.
In the United States, Greens first ran for public office in 1985. Since then the Green Party of the U.S. has claimed electoral victories at the municipal, county and state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
levels. The first U.S. Greens to be elected were David Conley and Frank Koehn in Wisconsin 1986. Each was elected to a position on the County Board of Supervisors in Douglas and Bayfield counties respectively. Keiko Bonk
Keiko Bonk
Keiko Cecilia Bonk is a Hawaiin American activist, artist, musician and politician.-Life:Born July 13, 1954 in Honolulu, her mother was Fumie Matsuoka and father was William Bonk, an archeologist who died in 2008...
was first elected in 1992 in Hawaii County, becoming Official Chairwoman in 1995. The first Green Party mayor http://www.gp.org/elections/Green-Mayors/ was Kelly Weaverling, elected in Cordova, AK in 1991. Approximately 160 Greens hold elected office across the US as of summer 2009. http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml. The first U.S. Green elected to a state legislature was Audie Bock
Audie Bock
Audie Elizabeth Bock is an American film scholar and politician who served in the California State Assembly from 1999 to 2000....
in 1999, to the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
, followed by John Eder
John Eder
John Eder is an American activist and politician from the state of Maine. Eder lives in Portland and is a member of the Maine Green Independent Party, the Maine affiliate of the national Green Party. He served in the Maine House of Representatives as the legislature's first member of the Green...
to the Maine House of Representatives
Maine House of Representatives
The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,450 citizens of the state...
in 2002 and 2004 and Richard Carroll
Richard Carroll (politician)
Richard Carroll is an American politician. He ran for District 39 of the Arkansas House of Representatives on the U.S...
to the Arkansas House of Representatives
Arkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 26,734...
in 2008. While in office in 2003 in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, incumbent Matt Ahearn made a party switch
Party switching in the United States
In the United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office...
to Green for the remainder of his term. The Green Party has contested four U.S. presidential elections: in 1996 and 2000 with Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
for President and Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke is a Native American activist, environmentalist, economist, and writer. In 1996 and 2000, she ran for vice president as the nominee of the United States Green Party, on a ticket headed by Ralph Nader. In the 2004 election, however, she endorsed one of Nader's opponents, Democratic...
as Vice President, in 2004 with David Cobb
David Cobb
David Keith Cobb is an American activist and was the 2004 presidential candidate of the Green Party of the United States .-Career and political activities:...
for President and Pat LaMarche
Pat LaMarche
Patricia Helen "Pat" LaMarche is an American political figure and activist with the Green Party; she was the party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2004 U.S...
for Vice President, and in 2008 with Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia Ann McKinney is a former US Congresswoman and a member of the Green Party since 2007. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In 2008, the Green Party nominated McKinney for President of the United States...
for President and Rosa Clemente
Rosa Clemente
Rosa Alicia Clemente is a United States community organizer, independent journalist and hip-hop activist. She was the vice presidential running mate of 2008 Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election.Clemente was born and raised in South Bronx, New...
for Vice President. As of 2011, the Green Party of the United States, http://gp.org, conducts all United States Green Party electoral activities. It and The Greens/Green Party USA conduct some of the grassroots organizing activities in the continental U.S.
Developing world
Green parties in the developing world are often organized with help from those in other nations. As of 2002 the foundation of Green parties has been the most notable in Africa.Other than hosting the first Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
peace conference as part of the German government, Green parties in the developed world have made few concrete moves to spread their values using the diplomatic channels. This is usually seen as one of the responsibilities of the Green movement - allowing parties to concentrate on their voters. However, the leader of the Kenyan Green Party, Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Muta Mary Jo Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya...
, won the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
in 2004, enhancing the image of Green parties across the third world.
In the greater Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
region, a few Green parties have been created, such as the Green Party of Pakistan
Green Party of Pakistan
The Pakistan Green Party is a green democratic political party in Pakistan. It was founded on April 28 in 2002 and since has been active in local politics. Members of the political party are known as the "Pakistan Greens". It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Green Network...
since 2002 and Green Party of India since 2010, the Green Party of Lebanon
Green Party of Lebanon
The Green Party of Lebanon is a Lebanese green political party. Founded in August 2008 by Philip Skaf, the green party advocates environmental protection, sustainable development, and human rights in Lebanon...
, and the Green Party of Saudi Arabia, but many of these Green parties are underground
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
organizations.
Colombia
In the 1990s, the Oxygen Green PartyOxygen Green Party
The Oxygen Green Party was a political party in Colombia founded in 1998. After Íngrid Betancourt, one of its most prominent members, was kidnapped in 2002, the party's popular support began to fade. In 2005 a political reform on the Colombian party system left the party without participation, due...
was created under the leadership of Ingrid Betancourt
Íngrid Betancourt
Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio is a Colombian politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist.Betancourt was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia on 23 February 2002 and was rescued by Colombian security forces six and a half years later on 2 July 2008...
but dissolved after her infamous kidnapping. Later, the Visionaries Party was created by Antanas Mockus
Antanas Mockus
Aurelijus Rutenis Antanas Mockus Šivickas is a Colombian mathematician, philosopher, and politician.The son of Lithuanian immigrants, he left his post as the president of the National University of Colombia in Bogotá in 1993, and later that year ran a successful campaign for mayor...
whose ideals earned him the Bogotá Mayoral Office twice.
In the 2010 Colombian presidential election
Colombian presidential election, 2010
The Colombian presidential election of 2010 took place under a two-round system, with an initial vote held on May 30 and a second poll held three weeks later on June 20. A referendum proposal that would have allowed incumbent President Álvaro Uribe the opportunity to run for a third term was...
a green party has been created under the name Colombian Green Party, with former Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
mayor Antanas Mockus being the leader.
Brazil
Marina SilvaMarina Silva
Maria Osmarina Marina Silva Vaz de Lima is a Brazilian environmentalist and politician. Ms. Silva was a colleague of Chico Mendes, who was assassinated for defending the Amazon environment. She was a member of the Partido dos Trabalhadores until August 19, 2009 and served as a senator before...
's Green Party in the Brazilian presidential election, 2010
Brazilian presidential election, 2010
The Brazilian presidential election was held in 2010 with two rounds of balloting. The first round was held on October 3 along with other elections as part of the 2010 general election...
won 19.33% of the vote of the first round taking enough votes from Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....
of the incumbent PT
PT
PT, Pt, or pt may stand for:* Pacific Time zone* Pro tempore, a Latin phrase "for the time being"/temporary* Physical Training, an abbreviation in the United States military- Units :...
party to stop her getting the 50% needed to avoid a second round of which she went on to beat Jose Serra of the opposition PSDB party. Despite only winning numerically the vote in only 1 state; the relatively electorally small Federal District which holds the capital of Brazil; the Green Party interestingly came second to Dilma in Amapa
Amapa
Amapa can refer to:*Amapá is one of the states of Brazil.*Amapá , a municipality in that Brazilian state.*Amapa, Nayarit, a town in the Mexican state of Nayarit....
, Amazonas, Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
and in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in front of Jose Serra
José Serra
José Serra is a Brazilian politician, former secretary of state, congressman, senator, minister of Planning and Minister of Health, mayor of São Paulo and Governor of São Paulo state.-Background:...
. The Green party also tied with Serra in Ceara, both having 16.36% of the vote, although Dilma won the state. Maranhão
Maranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...
also had a 1.5% difference in vote between Serra and Marina with the Green Party coming third. In São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
, the Green Party numerically had their strongest showing with almost 5 million votes taking 20.77% of the vote. Success in the legislature however only amounted to winning 2 more seats to a total of 15 in the Chamber of Deputies and the loss of their only senate seat.
See also
- GreenGreenGreen is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
and ChartreuseChartreuse (color)Chartreuse is a color halfway between yellow and green that was named because of its resemblance to the green color of one of the French liqueurs called green chartreuse, introduced in 1764...
– colours associated with the Green movement - Progressive Green PartyProgressive Green PartyProgressive Green Party is a name used by reformist green parties around the world.-List:* New Zealand - Progressive Green Party* Belgium - Progressive Green Party, independent Flemish-See also:* Green Party* Progress Party* Progressive Party...
- List of Green party issues
- List of political parties
External links
Global lists and websites- Global Greens - The official global organization of Green Parties world wide of Green Parties
- Global Greens Congress 2001 - the first Global Greens gathering that was held in 2001
- History links of Green Parties world wide
- Green Party of the United States
- Green Party of Canada
- Scottish Green Party
- Green Party of England and Wales
- Indian National Green Party
- Green Party of India