Program presented

Greens campaign for European elections with “heart instead of agitation”

The Green top candidate Lena Schilling(Bild: APA/Robert Jäger)

Green top candidate Lena Schilling and party leader Werner Kogler presented their EU election program on Thursday. The focus is on climate policy, democracy, human rights and progress. They are calling for a proper renaturation law and an EU-wide age limit of 16 years for European elections.

Climate change is "the toughest nut to crack", said lead candidate Lena Schilling on Thursday. In the area of climate policy, the Greens are demanding, among other things, a tariff for train routes between two European capitals (maximum ten cents per kilometer), a proper renaturation law and 40,000 new wind turbines. According to Kogler, Europe must be completely self-sufficient in clean energy.

Lena Schilling(Bild: APA/Robert Jäger)

The Greens are campaigning with, among other things, voting from 16 and a European tariff for train travel.(Bild: APA/Robert Jäger)

Werner Kogler(Bild: APA/Robert Jäger)

Schilling is also keen to involve young people in politics. The election manifesto provides for more funding for youth organizations and the examination of legislative proposals with regard to their impact on future generations. The Greens also want to convince the member states to introduce a voting age of 16 in European elections.

Strengthening critical voices
One chapter is entitled "Heart instead of agitation". It addresses the need to strengthen critical voices such as journalists and activists from authoritarian regimes such as Russia. The EU must take in these people and do all it can to protect and support them.

In the area of asylum and migration policy, faster procedures and a fair distribution key are called for. "So far, it has to be said, Austria has taken on much more responsibility than Hungary or Slovakia, for example," said Schilling. "We will not save the world alone, but if Europe does not lead the way, we will have a problem," said Kogler.