Here is a rough English translation of Rebecca Harms explanation, which she sent out to her German Green colleagues on why she will not run for European Parliament again in the 2019 elections.
Dear friends at KV Lüchow-Dannenberg,
Dear Anne, dear Stefan, dear LaVos,
Dear Annalena, dear Robert, dear BuVos,
Dear colleagues in the German delegation in the EP,
Dear Winfried, dear colleagues in governments of the states,
Dear Chairs of the Böll Foundation,
First of all, I would like to thank those of you who have supported and encouraged me to run again for the 2019 European elections. I was sincere and serious about the plans I have made or discussed with many of you. I meant to work with you once again at this crucial stage for the future of the European Union. Many of you know how important it is to me to support the difficult progress regarding democracy and rule of law in Ukraine, and in the whole Eastern and Southeastern neighbourhood, as well as work on overcoming the divide between East and West in the EU. I still mean to pursue my work on these issues. However, I have decided not to run again for the European Parliament. I am sorry to disappoint some of you. My decision is not primarily linked to the German Greens. It is linked to the course taken by our group in the EP. I believe, it is crucial for all of you to consider this, since it also determines our European politics in Germany.
In recent months, my unease regarding the political mood and orientation in our group in the European Parliament has grown. Firstly, there are a number of policy areas that will play a major role in the election campaign and on which I am increasingly unable to advocate the group's line. This applies particularly to security and defence policy, trade policy and, more and more, to the refugee policy. Additionally, I do not manage to be heard on my most pressing concern: to try together to gain a better understanding of the developments and political shifts in the European Member States, and clarify what is our contribution to the success of the anti-European parties and movements, and reflect on what we may be doing wrong when they win. This may partly be my fault as well. However, I cannot accept the fact that for many of us in Brussels the belief that we are somehow the better Europeans and simply the political opposite seems to be sufficient. To me, this inertia is one of the reasons for the immense problems and challenges we are facing. The work with a mandate but without a political home in this group, does not make sense for me personally. This is the reason, why in 2019, after 15 years in the European Parliament, I will close this chapter.
Until then, I will not neglect my duties and tasks. I will focus on climate policy, the legislation for the automotive industry and energy policy. The coming months will also be decisive in clearing whether we can manage to start the long overdue reform process of the Euratom treaty. Winter 2018/19 will mark the fifth anniversary of the Euromaidan, the anniversaries of the invasion of Crimea and the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine. After last weekend's elections in Turkey, we Greens also finally have to answer the question of how we want to shape the future relations with Turkey.
Of course, I will continue to contribute with my ideas and according to the best of my possibilities to the debate on the future of the EU in Germany. Restoring confidence in the European Union and successfully countering scepticism and rejection requires not only passion but also realism. I am fully convinced that many things must and can be changed. However, changes in the EU require, more than ever, a willingness to compromise and not polarize even more.
It is not easy for me to leave the European Parliament. But there is a time for everything.
Thank you for everything. Thank you for what you, Greens and people from Lower Saxony, have made possible for me.
Yours,
Rebecca
PS: And the most important for the end. Until yesterday, today was tomorrow. All this is not only, but still partly, a question of age. Here a conciliatory contribution of the wonderful Austrian Hubert von Goisern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfHIRtAUuMM
