Germany’s Green Party, which has been sharing government power with the Social Democrats since 1998, is trying to advance environmental goals, but has also become more business-friendly of late. Party leaders still call for a nuclear phase-out, higher energy taxes to help combat global warming, and more eco-friendly transportation and technologies. And the Greens are angering some retailers with a proposal to require a deposit on beverage cans, intended to boost recycling and reduce litter. But the party has also allied itself with business interests in pushing for debt reduction, fiscal restraint, and major reform of the country’s pension system, saying the moves are in line with “sustainable development.” As some Green leaders move into the mainstream, the party is confronting more internal tension and losing some of its core support.
