Tens of thousands sign petition to keep Habeck in politics

Tens of thousands of people are calling for Robert Habeck to remain in politics in an open letter. In a time full of crises, we need "people - and more importantly, leaders - like you," says the description of an online petition that was launched at the beginning of the week and signed by more than 75,000 people in less than 24 hours.

The Green Party's candidate for chancellor opposes "the backward-looking, cynical and dehumanized discourse" and stands for "common sense, solidarity and confidence," it continues. "You are a beacon of hope for many. And beacon of hope must not leave when they are needed most, but must take on leadership and responsibility."

After his party's poor performance in the federal election, Habeck announced that he would no longer seek a leading role within the Greens. There was disappointment within his own ranks: parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann, for example, regretted the move. Habeck had run a good election campaign and was partly responsible for the fact that the Greens had gained around 42,000 new members since the collapse of the traffic light coalition.

Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann also wants to keep his party colleague Robert Habeck in politics. "I hope for him and for us that he leaves the door ajar for a return," Kretschmann told the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung". He continued: "I regret that Robert Habeck is no longer available for a top position." But he also has "great respect for this step."

Habeck has "achieved an incredible amount for the Greens" and "opened the party up to the broad middle of society with his idea of ​​an alliance party". As a minister, Habeck has "done a great service to Germany". He has "made the country independent of Russian gas at record speed and pushed forward the expansion of renewables like no one before him".

In the federal election, support for the Greens fell to 11.6 percent, down from 14.7 percent in 2021. However, Habeck was re-elected to the Bundestag. It is not yet known whether he will take up the mandate as a member of the Bundestag.