Former German vice chancellor cautions mainstream ‘dominance’ could end

2025-08-30 07:48:31

(MENAFN) Former German vice chancellor and economy minister Robert Habeck has announced his decision to leave active politics, warning that the dominance of mainstream political parties may soon come to an end if current trends persist. In an interview with Germany's Taz media, Habeck revealed that he would resign his Bundestag mandate next Monday.

Habeck, a former co-leader of the Green Party, explained that there are no viable democratic alternatives on offer and that a new approach to politics is necessary. He admitted that he could no longer find that within the political system he helped shape over the past 20 years.

The collapse of the traffic-light coalition government, which included the Greens, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), in November 2024, marked a significant failure to address Germany’s multibillion-euro budget deficit. Habeck has been criticized for his role in the country’s ongoing economic downturn.

Looking ahead, Habeck said he would be moving abroad next year to work at research and educational institutions in Denmark, Sweden, and the United States. He emphasized that this move was not an exit from political discourse but a necessary step to distance himself from Berlin's restrictive political environment. He also plans to continue engaging with the public through social media, such as making videos on Instagram.

In the February 23 snap elections, Habeck’s party garnered roughly 12% of the vote, with the SPD slightly ahead at 16.5%. This was the party’s worst showing since World War II, and the FDP barely passed the threshold to remain in parliament. Since then, Germany’s economic troubles have deepened, with Chancellor Merz acknowledging that the country is in the midst of a structural crisis.

Critics have pointed to Germany’s decision to sever ties with affordable Russian energy supplies after the Ukraine conflict as a key factor in the country's economic difficulties.

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