Banaszak on a learning journey: The Greens are fighting against prejudice in the East!

Banaszak on a learning journey: The Greens are fighting against prejudice in the East!

The federal party leader of the Green Party, Felix Banaszak, is currently on the move to regain the trust of voters in East Germany. After the Greens recently flew out of several state parliaments in the new federal states, Banaszak is going on a “learning trip” to find out about people’s concerns and worries first hand. He created the “Beer with Banaszak” format to start conversations in bars and build a bridge to voters. As the Free press reports, the Duisburg resident has a good knack for supporting the Greens' messages with personal stories.

On August 14, 2025, Banaszak gave a lecture in Freiberg. At the same time, right-wing extremist demonstrators passed by and took to the streets with their “Monday walks”. Around 60 guests sat behind him, around a third of whom were members of his own party. During his speech, he did not take kindly to the political opposition leadership, especially CDU leader Friedrich Merz, and called for an end to “supervised governance” (see taz ). These political pushes are unhelpful in a region where the Greens are struggling with challenges, particularly the rise in right-wing extremist attacks.

The reality in East Germany

The Greens face major hurdles in the east. Their poll numbers are anything but rosy and they are having difficulty gaining a foothold in rural areas. Politics is characterized by a seriousness that is reflected in the tense social conditions. The pressure is also noticeable at the local political level: party colleagues from Gotha have written an incendiary letter reporting threats and attacks. In Freiberg, Banaszak also expressed the need for a “presence offensive” in the eastern German states and is even planning a constituency office in Brandenburg to intensify contact with the people.

He takes part in various local events, including the Christopher Street Day in Neubrandenburg and visits to socio-cultural centers such as the “Treibhaus” in Döbeln.
The “Treibhaus” is a place that was originally founded by punks and now offers language courses and social projects, but also struggles with threats from right-wing extremist forces. Banaszak emphasizes the need for meeting places and clubs for a vibrant society (see daily news ).

Accept the challenges

The current political currents in the East, especially the Ukraine conflict, are causing additional tensions. Banaszak recently explained that skepticism about the Greens in East Germany also stems from a fear of Russia. The Greens support Ukraine, which is viewed critically by the East German electorate. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock points out that people in the East view German arms deliveries much more skeptically than their fellow Westerners. While a battle for interpretive sovereignty rages on social media, the Greens must communicate their position more clearly in order to regain trust.

Given the upcoming elections in Saxony in autumn 2024, a lot depends on Banaszak and his colleagues. One wonders whether the Greens will succeed in reaching the hearts of the East German electorate or whether they will remain politically marginalized. So far it can be said that they have a rocky road ahead of them if they really want to reach the East.