The World - News from March 5, 1989

West Germany’s ecologist Greens party elected a new leadership at a meeting in Duisburg, pledging to set aside internal struggles. The previous radical-dominated leadership was ousted in December at a party congress, which intensified a struggle between “fundamentalist” and “realist” factions. The “fundis,” as they are known, prefer direct protest action to parliamentary cooperation. The party’s “realo” wing urges cooperation with the opposition Social Democratic Party to gain government office. The Greens elected as party spokespersons a “fundis,” a “realo” and a moderate. The party won 8.3% of the vote in the 1987 federal election but has slipped in the polls since.