From 2011 to 2016 he ruled with the SPD in a green-red coalition, and since 2016 the Greens and CDU have formed a green-black coalition.

Right at the beginning of his reign, Kretschmann made a thorough change of style in the relationship between citizenship and politics with his “Politics of Being Heard” and the extensive expansion of citizen participation. In terms of economic policy, he kept the heavily export-oriented industrial country, which is characterized by vehicle and mechanical engineering, on the road to success and prepared it for the ecological structural change. The reform of the electoral law, the realignment of the integration and asylum policy begun under Green-Red, and the nationwide broadband expansion have only progressed gradually.

Personally, Kretschmann quickly gained a high reputation throughout the country, well beyond the green electorate. His pragmatic course of closely combining economy and ecology has the future competitiveness of Baden-Württemberg as a business location in mind and enjoys high approval throughout the state. The green-black coalition can certainly be seen as a model for federal politics.

Ulrich Eith studied political science, mathematics, and sociology, earned his doctorate and habilitation in political science. He is Professor of political science at the University of Freiburg since 2007 and is director of the Wiesneck House of Studies in Buchenbach since 2008 (Studienhaus Wiesneck, Institut für politische Bildung Baden-Württemberg e.V.).

This publication is available the following languages (pdf):

• FRENCH: Le Bade-Wurtemberg sous la direction des Verts – Bilan des deux mandats de Winfried Kretschmann à la tête du Land.

• GERMAN: Baden-Württemberg unter grüner Führung – Bilanz zweier Regierungsperioden unter Winfried Kretschmann.

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