Red-green alliance
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In politics, a red-green alliance is an alliance of "red" socialist or communist parties with "green" environmentalist parties. The alliance is often based on common left-wing views, especially a shared distrust of corporate or capitalist institutions. While the "red" parties tend to focus on the adverse effects of capitalism on the working class, the "green" parties tend to focus on the environmental consequences of unrestrained capitalism.
There have been two distinct types of red-green alliances. The first type is formed by center-left parties for the short-term goal of creating a coalition government. The second type is a long-term organizational alliance of minor far-left parties for the purpose of challenging capitalism.
[edit] Red-green coalition governments
There have been a number of red-green governments in Europe since the 1990s. In Germany, a red-green coalition of the Social Democrats and Greens led by Gerhard Schröder governed the country from 1998 to 2005. In France, a coalition of the Socialists, Greens and Communists governed from 1997 until 2002. Red-green coalition governments have also formed in Italy, Norway, Finland, and elsewhere.
[edit] Radical red-green alliances
Far-left political parties or joint electoral lists have been formed over the years, most often between Marxists and radical greens. In the Netherlands, the Green Left party was formed in 1989 by a merger of a communist, pacifist, leftwing christian and green parties. In Denmark, the Red-Green Alliance was formed as a coalition of numerous radical parties. Within the European Parliament, a number of far-left parties from Northern Europe have organized themselves into the Nordic Green Left Alliance.
