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Less hostility, more openness to green issues: The Fulda Greens see themselves strengthened with a view to the local elections. At the New Year's reception in the Antonius Café in Fulda on Sunday, the speakers ranged from local to world politics.
Fulda – “I experience a different atmosphere at the campaign stands than during the federal election. The hostility towards us has become less,” says Marie-Louise Puls, spokeswoman for the Fulda district association of the Greens. Society is open to green issues again. This is an incentive in the current local election campaign to show how strong the Greens are locally.
New Year's reception: Fulda Greens start the hot election campaign phase
Because locally, says MP Boris Mijatovic (Alliance 90/The Greens), “is the most important place for politics.” This is where her heart beats. With a view to the world's wars and crises, Mijatovic addresses a wish that is certainly shared by some: “Buckle up at home and let the storm pass.” There are currently more than 60 wars and armed conflicts worldwide with more than 200,000 civilian deaths in 2025. Mijatovic refers to figures from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program. “It's driving me crazy. It's difficult not to get emotional in the face of this data but to remain rational.”
He appeals to his party's local politicians to approach this world situation with calm and objectivity, as the Greens do and would have done in dealing with the hostility towards them. “We won't save the world in Fulda alone. But we can make a small contribution to increasing our share of the good that happens in the world.” Mijatovic cites Ukraine aid in Fulda as an example.
At the international level, the global community needs to be strengthened. In particular, Mijatovic strongly condemns the attacks by the USA and Israel on Iran. “The attack on Venezuela, which violates international law, is now topped by another attack that violates international law. You don't just bomb dictators out of the palace.” This is a mistake that we have seen many times in history. However, Mijatovic does not want his criticism to be understood as anti-Americanism. It is undisputed that the Iranian regime “brutally murdered tens of thousands of people in its own country.” But the United Nations' prohibition of force is the top principle in world politics. You have to position yourself internationally here.
Mijatovic strongly condemns attacks on Iran
In addition, Mijatovic characterizes the attacks on infrastructure in Germany as a current challenge. “Resilience and the defense of our democracy starts here locally in the communities.” What is crucial, for example, is the expansion of renewable energies and the move away from fossil fuels. Otherwise you will remain dependent on the dictators of this world.
Deborah Müller-Kottusch, the Green Party's top candidate for the Fulda district council, also emphasized the value of local politics in her speech. As a local politician, she brings her own ideas for the further development of the Fulda district to the district council in the form of applications. There she often has to “watch as an application is talked over, thought through and often rejected.” Nevertheless, local political commitment is neither hopeless nor unsuccessful. In addition to diplomatic skills and the ability to work in a team, it takes patience and tolerance for frustration to initiate change. For example, the Greens in local councils campaigned for better financial resources for nature conservation and criticized grievances, even at the risk of being criticized. (By Toni Spangenberg)
A few weeks ago, the Greens also received support from the very top: Green Party leader Felix Banaszak visited Fulda on the occasion of the election campaign.
