Cem Özdemir urges German Greens to adopt centrist approach

Cem Özdemir, the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, is advising the federal Alliance 90/The Greens party to adopt a more pragmatic, centrist approach to win elections. Following a successful state election in March where the Greens secured 30.2 percent of the vote—narrowly surpassing the CDU's 29.7 percent—Özdemir argues that his success is not a regional anomaly.

Özdemir dismissed the notion that Baden-Württemberg is a unique case that cannot be replicated elsewhere. He stated that the issues driving voters in his state are present across Germany and suggested that a centrist course does not necessitate a shift toward the political left. He noted that in the recent state election, the Greens outperformed both the CDU and the SPD, which received 5.5 percent of the vote.