![Image for European elections to go to the greens?](https://media.cafebabel.com/resized-images/20/aa/e8613d63c6773741ce71844e852121c813a2.jpg)
European elections to go to the greens?
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ChriomfordThe environmentalist MEPs came from all over Europe for the congress of the European green party from 27 - 29 March 2009. Following on from their debates, they voted for their manifesto, the Green New Deal, and French MEP Daniel Cohn-Bendit officially launched the campaign
![The campaign kicks off](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/prepa_parliament.jpeg)
The morning of 27 March in Brussels. Everyone is bustling about making the final preparations. For three days, the European parliament takes on the colours of the European green party.
![The crisis demands a response from the Greens](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/frassoni.jpeg)
Monica Frassoni is co-president of the the greens/ EFA group, (pictured centre). Vula Tsetsi, the group’s general secretary, and Pierre Jonckheer, vice-president, open the debate with the slogan ‘Much done, more to do’. ‘The banking, economical and social crisis caught us by surprise,’ says Jonckheer. Frassoni talks of a Eurobarometer with a catastrophic: ‘We’re very worried about the turnout in the European elections.’ With a ‘Forza ragazzi’, the leader opens up the discussion to the floor.
![Eva Lichtenberger, Austrian MEP](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/austria.jpeg)
‘We need to keep an eye on the turnout for the European elections. The most influential paper in Austria is running a campaign slating the EU. In our country, the level of eurosceptisism is getting formidably high.’
![Anwar Mir Sattari, Iranian refugee and EU green member, lives in Belgium](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/sattali_green.jpeg)
‘In Iran, the greens are banned. Your can’t talk openly about nuclear power there.’
![Marek Strandberg, Estonian greens (Eestimaa Rohelised)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/marek_estonia.jpeg)
‘Co-operating with neighbouring countries has helped us a lot and been very fruitful.’
![German economist Sven Giegold, green newcomer](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/sven_green.jpeg)
Giegold joined the greens in August 2008. A founding member of the German branch of Atacc, he is a candidate for the greens in the 2009 European elections. ‘It is important to know in what areas we’re making our decisions. People want solutions to the crisis. I think it’s especially important to state who should pay the bill. We need to make concrete statements and say how we plan to pay for our policies.’
![Mayis Gulaliyer, green politician in Azerbaijan](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/aserbaidschan.jpeg)
It was the first time that Azerbadjan is present at the congress of the European green party. ‘Environmental questions are global questions. That’s why Azerbaijan is Europe’s problem!’
![Green New Deal](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/vote_green.jpeg)
The morning of 28 March. The last day sees some well-worn themes emerge in the auditorium on the third floor of the European parliament in Brussels. A green economy to tackle the crisis, the creation of green jobs, human rights… Some parts of the green’s manifesto spark debate - the Europe-wide fight against organised crime, for example. It's a subject that the Italian Frassoni stresses greatly before the delegates held up their little green cards to unanimously vote for the adoption of the 'Green New Deal'.
![Cohn-Bendit: ‘Not for Germany, France, but for Europe’](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics march 09/dany_cohn_bendit.jpeg)
‘I’m not standing as a candiate for Germany, or for France, but for Europe’, stresses Daniel Cohn-Bendit, co-president of the group, in his euphoric speech launching the campaign, during which he switches between French, English and German.
Translated from Europawahlen - alles im grünen Bereich?