Grüne on democracy and the state

The Greens want to develop the state transparency law further and create a lobby register requiring disclosure of meetings between interest groups and the government. Public data is to be free to use, and data protection and cybersecurity are to be strengthened.

The Greens want a lobby register. It shows which groups meet with the government. Government data should be free for everyone. The state should protect people's data better.

A lobby register law is to create a legislative footprint, meaning it shows who contributed to a law; the platform names a three-year waiting period in connection with publishing the meetings. The transparency portal is to be extended to municipal databases and made accessible, and municipalities are to get help with council information systems and livestreams of council meetings. The open data strategy and open data law are to be reviewed and their scope widened. The data protection authority is to be strengthened and critical infrastructure strictly protected. Businesses are to be supported through better cyber defense and prosecution by police and public prosecutors.

The Greens want a youth participation act that introduces a youth impact check for all laws and sets uniform rules for participation in municipalities. They stand by a voting age of 16 for state and local elections and want better funding for youth work.

Young people should have more say in politics. Every new law should be checked: What does it mean for young people? Young people should have fixed rights in every town. The Greens want voting from age 16. Youth work should get more money.

The state youth advisory council is to get more rights, a state advice center for youth participation is to be set up, and the youth climate forum continues. KIJugend, a municipal investment program for youth support, is to back innovative local projects, alongside a fund for projects by young people. Lowering the voting age has so far failed to reach the required two-thirds majority and remains a goal. A culture pass for 18-year-olds is to return at the state level. In youth work, funding is to be simpler and higher for trips, civic education and training; volunteers get better compensation for lost earnings, and meeting places without pressure to buy anything are created.

The Greens want to relaunch the reform of local government and create larger administrative units. The platform argues that the state's very fragmented municipal structure hampers digitalization, recruitment and efficiency. The division of tasks between levels of government is also to be reviewed.

Rhineland-Palatinate has very many small municipalities. The Greens say this slows down public offices. They want larger administrative units. Offices should work well with digital tools. Higher authorities should take over some tasks.

According to the platform, Rhineland-Palatinate has the most fragmented municipal structure in Germany. The goal is a capable, citizen-friendly administration with uniform digital equipment and enough qualified staff. The party sees cooperation between municipalities as useful but not sufficient. Tasks that need a high degree of specialization, such as school supervision, should move to higher-level authorities. Public services should be available centrally at every level, preferably online.

The Greens are pushing at federal level for a Demokratiefördergesetz (democracy promotion act) with permanent funding. Civic education is to be expanded from daycare through adult education. People who are active for democracy should get better protection and advice.

The Greens want a law to promote democracy. It should give groups steady funding. Children should learn about democracy starting in daycare. Adults should get offers too. People who are threatened should get help from the state.

Local initiatives should get help with little red tape, for example through micro-grants or mobile democracy teams. For civic education the platform names simulation games, digital offers and training for teaching staff. The state agency for civic education is to be strengthened and work more closely with schools and universities. For people who are active for democracy, the party plans a central contact point in the state government, guides for security plans and easier blocks on disclosing their home address. Counseling services are to be strengthened, above all for victims of far-right violence, along with prevention and exit counseling.

The Greens call for proceedings to ban the AfD. The platform argues that the party keeps radicalizing and is part of a far-right network. In addition, new laws are meant to help remove enemies of the constitution from public service.

The Greens want a court case to ban the AfD. They say the AfD is getting more and more radical. Also, enemies of the constitution should not work for the state. The Greens want new laws for that.

The platform describes the AfD as a central part of a far-right network, including in Rhineland-Palatinate. From this the Greens derive their demand for ban proceedings. They also back further legal steps to remove enemies of the constitution from public service. The democracy work at the Demokratiezentrum (democracy center) and the #ScrollNichtWeg campaign are to continue and reach new target groups.

The Greens want to make volunteer work simpler, more visible and safer. Associations are to get help with software, red tape is to be reduced and the Ehrenamtskarte (volunteer card) expanded. A dedicated contact point is planned for volunteers who are threatened.

Many people volunteer in clubs and associations. The Greens want to make their work easier. Clubs should get help with software. Volunteers who are threatened should have a fixed place to turn to.

Associations are to be supported in obtaining software for administration, membership management and event planning. Bureaucratic hurdles for volunteering are to be lowered, and the simplified proof-of-use rules for grants will stay. The volunteer card is to become easier to get, digital and better known, with more partners offering discounts. For volunteers who face hostility or threats because of their work, the Greens want to set up a contact point.

The Greens want people without German or EU citizenship to be able to vote if they have lived in Rhineland-Palatinate for a long time. This would apply to local and state elections. The reasoning is that those who live in the state permanently should have a say.

Some people have lived in Rhineland-Palatinate for a long time. But they have no German or EU passport. The Greens want these people to be able to vote too. This would apply to local and state elections.

Voting rights are to be extended to people who hold neither German nor EU citizenship. According to the platform, the condition is long-term residence in Rhineland-Palatinate. Both local elections and state parliament elections would be covered. The Greens present the demand as part of a strong and vibrant democracy.

The Greens want more direct participation: lower hurdles for popular initiatives and referendums, advisory panels of randomly selected citizens for major reforms, and a state participation portal. Anyone submitting a petition with 1,000 co-signers should be allowed to speak before the petitions committee.

The Greens want citizens to have more of a say. Referendums should be easier to hold. Citizens chosen by lot should advise on big reforms. People with 1,000 signatures on a petition may speak in the committee. A petition is a request to parliament.

For complex reform projects, advisory panels made up of randomly selected citizens are to be created; this is meant to make decisions easier to follow and build trust. The hurdles for popular initiatives and referendums are to be lowered. A digital state participation portal is to be set up, modeled on other states. For petitions, reaching 1,000 co-signatures would create a legal right to speak in the petitions committee, and relevant petitions would be debated in public.

The Greens want to abolish the justice ministry's right to issue instructions to public prosecutors, citing the independence of the judiciary. The justice system is also to get more staff and work digitally. A specialized prosecutor's office for environmental crime is planned.

Today the justice ministry can give orders to prosecutors. The Greens want to end that. The justice system should be independent. Courts should get more staff and work digitally. A special prosecutor's office should handle environmental crimes.

Staffing in the justice system is to keep growing, with safe and well-equipped workplaces at courts and prosecutors' offices. Digital processes are to become standard, and prosecutors are to be well equipped to pursue cybercrime. Plans include recruiting young talent, training programs and paths for career changers, plus non-discriminatory access to legal professions. Prison staff are to be better protected, including through a review of security measures and of bonuses. Lay judge service is to be shielded from anti-democratic influence.