Fired by the party executive: Brandenburg’s Green leader Julia Schmidt (29) Photo: picture alliance/dpa
By Michael Sauerbier
Political hammer in Brandenburg! Completely surprisingly, the Greens fired their party leader Julia Schmidt (29). The reason: “Repeated cases of intolerable misconduct”.
“The state board withdrew its trust from the chairman Julia Schmidt at the board meeting on Friday evening yesterday and unanimously asked her to resign,” said the party spokesman on Saturday at 4:21 p.m. by e-mail, “Julia Schmidt complied.”
The brief, enigmatic justification: “Repeated cases of intolerable misconduct had preceded it.” What the Greens were so outraged about: unclear! Until recently, Schmidt was traded as the top candidate for the 2024 state election.
Neither Schmidt’s co-chairman Alexandra Pichl, the party spokesman or other board members could be reached for questions. According to BZ information, there should have been a dispute in the party about the modernization of the state association demanded by Schmidt. She “wanted too much too fast”.
Julia Schmidt wrote on Twitter: “First of all, I would like to complete my studies, which has recently become increasingly difficult in addition to my political activity.” No word on the allegation of misconduct. Schmidt describes the expulsion as a voluntary decision: “Yesterday I announced my resignation from the state presidency.”
The Green Ministers Ursula Nonnemacher (64, social affairs) and Axel Vogel (66, environment) also disappeared on Saturday. The Greens have governed Potsdam together with the SPD and CDU since 2019. In the same year, Schmidt took over as party chairman. Recently she had publicly and harshly criticized the policies of the two major coalition partners.
The successor to the ousted party is to be elected at the next state party conference on April 29.