The number of members has increased from 185 (at the turn of the year) to 300 paying membrers (in May 2011) when we held our annual meeting. This is of course very gratifying and it indicates that more and more members of the Green Party are taking an interest in matters concerning the elderly. Besides, quite a few Gröna Seniorer are themselves still active and taking part in different political bodies.
Gröna Seniorer submitted five motions in various subjects to the Party Congress such as: women pensions, dental care for elderly, health economics and discrimination of elderly.
One of the motions dealt with our position within the party. At present considered as a network we were applying to become a side-organisation like the Young Greens. As such we would have much better conditions when it comes to economy and to representation in the decision making bodies.
The motion was rejected by 129 to 109. So we were nearly there and are, of course, not going to give it up! Recently we have tried another way to get influence, namely by taking part in the ongoing activities to compile the new Green Policy Program.
(Eva Hellung Strohl – November 2011)
