The Green PartyAn Introduction

1. A Potted History

www.globalgreens.org

A Potted History

• 1972: United Tasmania Group

1975: The Ecology Party

• 1985: Becomes the Green Party

Realos vs. Fundis

• Some members (realos) wanted to professionalise the party.

Others (fundis) wanted to keep to the fundamentals.

• The name of the debate is from Germany.

Regrouping

• 1999: Won two seats in the European Parliament

• 2000: Won three seats in the London Assembly

Scotland

• Amicable split in 1990

1999: Won a seat in the Scottish Parliament

• 2003: Increased to seven seats

2007: Gained eight councillors, but lost five MSPs

2. The Basic party Structures

democracy

• Based on direct democracy

• Most officer elections are by postal ballot.

"I was thinking what I might say in my speech and journalists were asking 'what new policy announcements are you going to make?' The point is it's not for the leader of the Green Party to suddenly come out with a new policy announcement. Policy is something which is much more grassroots. An inclusive process that comes from the local parties."Caroline Lucas, from an interview with Total Politics magazine.

The International level

• Green Co-ordination existed at European level

• Changed to the European Green Party

EGP Member

EGP Observer

Global Greens

• Meets every four years

• Promotes co-operation beyond continental level

3. Core principles

global greens charter

• Ecological wisdom

Social justice

• Participatory democracy

• Non-violence

Sustainability

• Respect for diversity

ecological wisdom

• Respect the values of all life-forms

• Humans are part of nature

• Respect indigenous wisdom

Live within the planet’s limits

• Use the precautionary principle

Social justice

• Promote an equitable global economy

Lift the debt-burden

• Eradicate poverty

Non-discriminatory view of citizenship

Participatory democracy

• Directly participate in decisions

Apply subsidiarity

• Adopt proportional representation

Non-violence

• Avoid security based on violent conflict

Remove the causes of conflict

• Pursue disarmament

Sustainability

• Fairly distribute resources

Redefine “wealth”

• ‘Ethic of sustainability’

respect for diversity

As written above

Global Greens Charter

• 2001: Global Greens Charter agreed upon

• Very diverse group of parties