US ELECTION RESULT IS A VICTORY OF HOPE OVER FEAR:
The Spokespersons of the European Green Party today congratulated the President-elect of the United States Barack Obama on his victory in the US Presidential elections.
EGP Co- Spokesperson Ulrike Lunacek said: "On behalf of the European Greens, I would like to warmly congratulate President-elect Barack Obama on his election victory, which is historic and will inspire millions of people, both in the United States and throughout the world. The significance of the election of the first African American President of the US is not restricted to that country as it will inspire minorities elsewhere in the world, including in Europe. We European politicians should ask, as a matter of urgency, what can be done to improve the political representation of ethnic and other minorities in Europe. We European Greens can learn a lot from these elections as we approach the European elections next year, particularly in terms of how the Democrats' campaign managed to appeal to people's desire for change and reached out to millions of people who had previously felt excluded from the political process. "
EGP Co-Spokesperson Philippe Lamberts continued: "It is clear that Barack Obama will face huge challenges when he takes up office in January, not least the financial, ecological and food crises, which for Greens are closely interrelated. While it is likely that Obama will not be able to live up to all of the expectations that have placed in him, his presidency does offer the opportunity for a new era for transatlantic relations and the role the US plays in the world in partnership with the EU and the rest of the world. In particular, the President-elect's commitment to re-engage with the international process to combat climate change is positive although we Greens will continue to demand the ambitious targets that the urgency of the climate crisis requires. We also very much hope that Mr Obama will keep his promises to end the war in Iraq and close the detention centre at Guantanamo Bay."
Lamberts and Lunacek concluded: "We would also like to pay tribute to the election campaign of the Green Party of the United States. The domination of the Republicans and Democrats in the US political system makes it extremely difficult for the US Greens to compete in Presidential elections, given the fact that they are virtually ignored by mainstream media. However, we applaud the valiant attempts of Presidential Candidate Cynthia McKinney and Vice Presidential Candidate Rosa Clemente and their supporters to challenge a system which still has many serious failings. "
