Roland Vogt
Encyclopedia
Roland Vogt is a German
politician
. He was the first member of the German Green Party to be elected to the Bundestag
from Rhineland-Palatinate
.
Vogt was born in Gelnhausen
, Hesse-Nassau. He studied law and political science in Berlin
. In 1975, he became involved with the anti-nuclear
power movement in southwestern Germany and in succeeding years edited environmental magazines. In 1978, he was one of the co-founders of a regional predecessor to the Green party in Berlin, and campaigned for the European parliament
in 1979.
In the elections of 1983, Vogt was elected to the Bundestag, but resigned two years later because of the then prevailing Green rules of "rotation", which specified that legislators should share their terms with others, rather than serving out a full term. He was succeeded by Willi Tatge, and assumed the post of Rhineland-Palatainate party chair for two years (1986-87). In the following legislative period, he served as a legislative aide to the Green caucus of the Bundestag. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
between 1983 and 1985.
After the reunification of Germany, Vogt was hired by the "traffic light coalition" government of Brandenburg
(consisting of the "red" (SPD), "yellow" (FDP), and "green" (Alliance 90/The Greens) parties) to oversee the process of "conversion" — the transition of local economies that had been based on supporting Soviet military
bases to a civilian economy. In this job, he drew on experiences from Rhineland-Palatinate, whose economy was heavily influenced by US military
bases. The Green party had opposed the US military presence in the 1980s in Rhineland-Palatinate and developed numerous alternative concepts.
In 1996, Vogt joined the Brandenburg central committee of the Green party, and in 2000 was elected party chair of Brandenburg, serving until 2003. In the regional elections of 2004, he campaigned for the Brandenburg parliament, but the Green party failed to reach the 5% minimum required for representation. His attempt to win a spot on the Rhineland-Palatinate Green ticket for the Bundestag election of 2005 failed to find adequate support at the party convention in Mainz
on 17 July 2005.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the first member of the German Green Party to be elected to the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
from Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
.
Vogt was born in Gelnhausen
Gelnhausen
Gelnhausen is a town and the capital of the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located approx. 40 kilometers east of Frankfurt am Main, between the Vogelsberg mountains and the Spessart range at the river Kinzig...
, Hesse-Nassau. He studied law and political science in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. In 1975, he became involved with the anti-nuclear
Anti-nuclear
The anti-nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes the use of nuclear technologies. Many direct action groups, environmental groups, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, national, and international level...
power movement in southwestern Germany and in succeeding years edited environmental magazines. In 1978, he was one of the co-founders of a regional predecessor to the Green party in Berlin, and campaigned for the European parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 1979.
In the elections of 1983, Vogt was elected to the Bundestag, but resigned two years later because of the then prevailing Green rules of "rotation", which specified that legislators should share their terms with others, rather than serving out a full term. He was succeeded by Willi Tatge, and assumed the post of Rhineland-Palatainate party chair for two years (1986-87). In the following legislative period, he served as a legislative aide to the Green caucus of the Bundestag. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
between 1983 and 1985.
After the reunification of Germany, Vogt was hired by the "traffic light coalition" government of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
(consisting of the "red" (SPD), "yellow" (FDP), and "green" (Alliance 90/The Greens) parties) to oversee the process of "conversion" — the transition of local economies that had been based on supporting Soviet military
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
bases to a civilian economy. In this job, he drew on experiences from Rhineland-Palatinate, whose economy was heavily influenced by US military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
bases. The Green party had opposed the US military presence in the 1980s in Rhineland-Palatinate and developed numerous alternative concepts.
In 1996, Vogt joined the Brandenburg central committee of the Green party, and in 2000 was elected party chair of Brandenburg, serving until 2003. In the regional elections of 2004, he campaigned for the Brandenburg parliament, but the Green party failed to reach the 5% minimum required for representation. His attempt to win a spot on the Rhineland-Palatinate Green ticket for the Bundestag election of 2005 failed to find adequate support at the party convention in Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
on 17 July 2005.