Blue–green alliance

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A Blue–green alliance describes either an alliance or coalition between "blue" conservative parties and green parties, or "blue" labor organizations, such as labor unions, and environmental organizations such as green parties. "Blue-Green" can also refer to a right-tendency within green parties based around green conservatism.

Canada

The Green Party of Ontario and to a lesser extent, the Green Party of Canada are considered "blue–green" because they are more economically centrist or agree with part of green conservatism. They have some cooperation with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Czech Republic

The Second Cabinet of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, member of the liberal-conservative Civic Democratic Party, included the Czech Green Party.

Finland

Several governments of Finland have included both the liberal-conservative National Coalition Party and the Green League, including the cabinet of Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen.

Germany

In Germany, it refers to the conservative CDU/CSU and the Alliance 90/The Greens. The two parties have several coalition governments at state levels.

Ireland

On 13 June 2007, following the 2007 general election, the Irish Green Party became a minor coalition partner to the conservative Fianna Fáil and the (now-defunct) liberal Progressive Democrats, entering government for the first time in the Greens' history. The Green Party remained a coalition partner until the 2011 general election, when the Greens lost their representation in the Dáil Éireann.

The blue-green alliance also refer to the conservative Fianna Fáil (green) and the liberal-conservative Fine Gael (blue), though both parties are rivals and unlikely to form coalitions. After the 2016 general election, Fianna Fáil agreed to support a Fine Gael-led minority government.

Latvia

The Latvian Green Party (LZP) has been a component of centre-right coalition governments in Latvia from 1993–1998 and 2002–present, with LZP member Indulis Emsis serving as Prime Minister of Latvia from March to December 2004. Since 2002 the LZP has been part of the Union of Greens and Farmers political and electoral alliance with the agrarian-conservative Latvian Farmers' Union.

Mexico

The conservative National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional, or PAN), and the Green Ecological Party of Mexico (Partido Verde Ecologista de México, or PVEM) formed coalition of Alliance for Change in 2000 in order to win the general elections. The coalition dissolved in 2001.

New Zealand

The now defunct Progressive Green Party was a political group with a strong environmental focus. It was closely aligned with the centre-right National Party. The "blue–green" Progressive Greens were contrasted with the better-known "red–green" Green Party, which generally takes a left-wing position. (A third group, the Green Society, rejected both "blue–green" and "red–green" politics.)

Taiwan

Pan-Blue Coalition (led by the Kuomintang, KMT) and Pan-Green Coalition (led by the Democratic Progressive Party, DPP), which refer to political constellations in Taiwan, the colours here have different meanings and it is unlikely that the two parties would form a coalition in both national and local levels. The two parties formed a grand coalition government in 2000 during the first 4 months of Chen Shui-bian presidency, as Chen-led DPP did not have the majority in the Legislative Yuan, which the KMT had majority. After the dissolve of grand coalition, President Chen indeed led a minority government for the rest of his terms.

United Kingdom

In the context of United Kingdom politics, it refers to a possible alliance on certain issues between the Conservative Party and ecologists or environmentalists such as those found in the Green Party. This alliance may occur as a result of the Conservative view that market economics help preserve the environment and a tendency toward Deep England views of pastoralism, and the Green view that profit is not anywhere near as much of a threat to natural systems as debt. However, the UK's various green parties are usually considered to be leftist greens, and coalitions with the Conservatives such as on Leeds City Council have proved unpopular with the party's membership and voters.

United States

In the context of the politics of the United States, as blue refers to the left-leaning Democratic Party, the term refers to alliances between organized labor and environmentalists, and sometimes specifically to cooperation between American Greens and blue-collar labor activists. The core issue of this alliance is opposition to globalization and to free trade, and it was significant in the candidacy of Ralph Nader in the 2000 presidential election, as Nader was endorsed by some labor organizations (the overwhelming majority of labor unions and environmental organizations are loyal to the Democratic Party and endorsed Al Gore).

It also continues to be used more generally to refer to any efforts at coalition-building between environmentalists and labor, as with the famous "teamsters and turtles" politics of the WTO Meeting of 1999 and the continuing anti-globalization movement. Journalist Sue Ellen White coined the term "turtles and teamsters" in a December 2, 1999 article, "Turtles and Teamsters United Against Patents on Life," written on the scene from the newly formed Independent Media Center (Indymedia).

The BlueGreen Alliance (BGA) is a national nonprofit partnership of environmental groups and labor unions.^[1] Launched in 2006 by the United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club, BGA has since grown to include the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), United Auto Workers (UAW), and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Other related organizations include the Alliance for Sustainable Jobs and the Environment and the Apollo Alliance, a subsidiary of the Blue Green Alliance that promotes green jobs based on alternative energy.

Partner organizations

The Emerald Cities Collaborative is a partner organization with the Blue–green alliance.

See also

• Red–green alliance

References