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Green MP Altuğ: Resignation due to authoritarian faction leadership!
The Green MP Turgut Altuğ announces his departure from the party and parliamentary group in Berlin and criticizes authoritarian structures.
Green MP Altuğ: Resignation due to authoritarian faction leadership!
In a surprising turnaround for Berlin politics, Turgut Altuğ, a long-time member of the Green Party, has announced his departure from the parliamentary group and party. The 60-year-old, who joined the party in 2006 and has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2011, will implement his decision on November 30th. Altuğ, who grew up in Turkey and came to Germany in 1992, announced his decision via email addressed to numerous members and actors of civil society. He criticizes the fact that the parliamentary group under the leadership of Bettina Jarasch and Werner Graf is neglecting core ecological issues and describes the leadership style as authoritarian. As Tagesspiegel reports, Altuğ complains about a decline in the space for open debates within the parliamentary group and sees the suppression of minority opinions as problematic.
Altuğ, who works as a spokesman for nature conservation, environmental education and food and agriculture, also expresses concern about the Greens' proximity to the Left Party and its handling of anti-Semitism. These aspects reflect his discomfort, which apparently also motivated him not to be nominated again as a direct candidate for the upcoming 2026 elections. “It is unacceptable for the Greens to nominate a male top candidate,” he said critically. The parliamentary group leadership was surprised at his move and thanked him for his efforts so far.
Political effects and reactions
The district association of the Greens in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg is also surprised by Altuğ's decision and also thanks him for his work. At the same time, Timur Husein, the district leader of the CDU in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, offered Altuğ a new political home in the CDU. Husein emphasizes that the CDU cares about the real problems of the people in Kreuzberg and criticizes the Greens for their current course.
The political climate around the Greens is tense. The party has developed and grown significantly in recent years and had around 126,000 members in 2023. But their membership and their commitment also reflect challenges; as of 2021, 37% of members are under 40 years old. According to Statista, the Greens are currently represented by 85 members in the House of Representatives and only received 11.6% of the second votes in the 2025 federal election - a loss compared to the 2021 election.
Altuğ's departure could not only have a significant impact on the party dynamics, but also on the public perception of the Greens. Given the previous election results and the political constellations in Germany, it remains exciting to see how the party will develop further.