Petra Kelly
Caroline Lucas explores the impact of the radical German politician Petra Kelly who founded Die Gr眉nen and inspired a generation of European Green politicians.
Petra Kelly did more than perhaps anyone else to raise the profile of green politics. As the most prominent member of West Germany鈥檚 Green Party, Die Gr眉nen, Kelly鈥檚 energetic campaigning played a critical role in catapulting her party to electoral success in the 1983 Bundestag elections, where they won 27 seats.
Outside Germany, Kelly was an internationally famous campaigner against nuclear weapons and nuclear power, issues which galvanised the early green movement. But in 1992, at the age of just 44, Kelly was found dead in mysterious circumstances, alongside her lover Gert Bastian.
The Green Party MP Caroline Lucas looks back on the career of a politician who inspired her and considers Petra Kelly鈥檚 relevance to the environmental movement today.
鈥淔or Petra Kelly, green politics was never confined to Parliament,鈥� she says, 鈥渋t happened out on the streets, embracing non-violent protest and direct action.鈥�
Producer: Dan Hardoon
Series Editor: David Prest
A Whistledown Production in association with The Open University.
Last on
Broadcasts
- Wed 8 Jan 2020 13:45蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
- Sun 1 Aug 2021 00:15蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
- Sun 1 Aug 2021 14:45蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
Hear our 鈥楽tories of Change鈥� interviews with various experts and campaigners for further in depth discussions.
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