The German Greens: a Professionalised Movement Party or ‘Gentrifying’ Extra-Institutional Protest for Institutional Gain?

Whilst political parties as institutions are reported to be untrustworthy and in decline for many years, the German Green Party has experienced unprecedented levels of electoral and membership growth in the last few years. Previous research on the German Green Party has stressed an enduring crisis narrative of the Greens as they have professionalised (Stifel 2018) and even argued that a deliberate power-seeking strategy would alienate too much of the party’s core base at the expense of new voters (Walter 2010). However, developments in the German Greens since 2018 have seen an explicit power-seeking turn, but where they have overcome this crisis narrative and appealed to new and existing supporters alike. One aspect that has aided the party in this endeavour is a successful incorporation of social activism and protest. This is carried out often in alliance with non-governmental organisations, social movements and other political parties. Where the Greens stand out is their perceived authenticity which stems from their 1968 and New Social Movement ancestry. More recent, prominent examples of such extra-institutional action can be seen in the Greens’ participation in the anti-racist #Unteilbar (inseparable) demonstration in 2018 and their association with and support of the environmental Fridays for Future movement in Germany. Yet, this incorporation of activism and mobilisation does not detract from their professionalised goals and structures. This activity therefore does not fit within the movement party paradigm of Kitschelt (2006) and Della Porta (2017). This paper will therefore propose how party members perceive both the Greens and protest action, based on findings from ethnographic fieldwork conducted as part of my PhD research. It will illustrate the sense of democratic duty held by party members for both forms of mobilisation, institutional and extra-institutional, illustrating that these are not mutually exclusive and are actually an attractive offering of the Greens. On the other hand, the paper will problematise the perceived earnestness of Green Party action on the streets and the specific understanding of democracy being promoted by the party. The paper will therefore reflect on the sustainability of recent Green success and progress, and question to what extent it can continue in less favourable external conditions. Can the Greens maintain this momentum in a situation without a Grand coalition in national parliament or if polarisation against the right-wing Alternative for Germany is reduced? This qualitative study into the party organisation and its members aims to start a conversation about individual experiences and understandings of being a party member, the complementary role that extra-institutional action can play for them and the potential danger of ‘gentrifying’ protest for political parties.