Grüne on Europe

The Greens want to reform the European Union toward a Federal European Republic. National vetoes are to be abolished, and the European Parliament is to gain the right to propose laws itself.

The Greens want to make the EU stronger. Single countries should no longer be able to block decisions alone. The European Parliament should be allowed to propose laws itself. The EU should spend more money on climate protection and social issues.

The platform justifies the reforms with Russia's attack on Ukraine, which it condemns, and opposes go-it-alone national approaches. It builds on the proposals of the Conference on the Future of Europe. Besides ending national vetoes and giving Parliament a right of initiative, the Greens call for more EU investment in climate protection and social policy. EU farm policy is to become greener and more oriented toward the common good and sustainability.

The Greens want citizens of other EU countries to be able to vote in Hesse's state elections. They see this as a step toward a European citizenship.

People from other EU countries should be allowed to vote for the state parliament in Hesse. That is what the Greens want. They want a European citizenship one day. Information centers about Europe should also get support.

The platform backs the goal of a European citizenship and names voting rights in state elections as a step toward it. Europe is to be brought closer to people in Hesse. To that end, the Greens want to support the state's four Europe Direct information centers as well as nonpartisan and civil society networks for Europe.

The Greens want to enable more European exchange, especially for young people. Every student and apprentice should be able to take part in a project elsewhere in Europe regardless of their parents' income; public administration staff should also be able to go on exchanges.

Young people should experience Europe themselves. Every student and every apprentice should be able to do a project abroad. Their parents' money should not matter. Staff of public offices should also be able to go abroad. Hesse should work more closely with partner regions.

The raffle of Interrail tickets is to grow, the Youth Europe Festival is to continue, and digital exchange between schools is to be developed. The 34 Europe Schools will be supported, and more teachers and childcare workers are to take part in Erasmus+. A separate “Hessen ERASMUS” program is to let state and municipal employees spend time abroad. Cooperation with partner regions on climate protection and education is to grow, with a special focus on Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkans. An EU back office is to support regional managers in advising on EU funding; at universities, the Greens back European Universities and “European Degrees.”