March 1999

In recent national elections throughout Europe, Green parties have had remarkable success.  Now, Green parties from all over the continent are attempting to work together so that they can increase their influence in the European Parliament.

France, Germany, and Italy, some of the largest and most influential countries in Europe, all have governments in which the Green party forms part of the ruling coalition.

A Map of the Countries in Europe.  Image Credit: CIA.

The Green party of Finland is also part of a coalition government.  In each of the four countries, the Green party forms part of a Socialist-led coalition.

"There is a European Green power and a European Socialist Power," said Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a high-ranking member of France's Green party.

The European Federation of Green Parties, meeting in Paris, said that forming a coalition with Socialist parties was now an important component of the Greens' political strategy.

One of the main issues discussed at the Paris conference was the change in the position of Europe's Green parties.  "The passage from a party of protest to a party of government was anything but easy," said German foreign minister Joschka Fischer.

Making the transition to being part of the government has raised major questions for Green parties.  Many were not fully prepared for the change, and their success has been mixed.

Currently, 27 Greens hold positions in the European Parliament, which has a total of 626 members.

The web site of the Green Group in the European Parliament