It currently holds of the seats in the Bundestag , having won The Greens have been part of the federal government twice: first as a junior partner to the Social Democrats SPD from to , and then with the SPD and the Free Democratic Party FDP in the traffic light coalition from the election until that coalition's collapse in The party holds seats in most of Germany's state legislatures, except Saarland , Thuringia and Brandenburg , and is a member of coalition governments in seven states.
The party had , members in December , making it the fourth largest party in Germany by membership. It grew out of the anti-nuclear energy, environmental, peace, new left, and new social movements of the late 20th century.
These groups were founded in and took part in several elections. Most of them merged with The Greens in In , it became the official Hamburg branch of The Greens. Officially founded as a German national party on 13 January in Karlsruhe , the party sought to give these movements political and parliamentary representation, as the pre-existing peoples parties [ de ] were not organised in a way to address their stated issues.
Opposition to pollution, use of nuclear power , NATO military action, and certain aspects of industrialised society were principal campaign issues.
The formation of a party was purportedly first discussed by movement leaders in In the foundational congress of , the ideological tenets of the party were consolidated, proclaiming the famous Four Pillars of the Green Party:.
