During the weekend I watched Krzysztof Kieślowski’s trilogy, Three Colors, once again. It got me thinking of colours and politics. According to Wikipedia Mr. Kieślowski’s films’s blue, white, and red refer to the French flags colours. The story of each film is loosely based on one of the three political ideals in the motto of the French Republic: liberty, equality, fraternity.

What about the colour green? What does it stand for? Again from Wikipedia: Green is the color most commonly associated with nature and the environmental movement, Islam, spring, hope and envy. Perhaps politics should be added, though.

As a typical Finn, I go to the polls on each election, I consider myself somewhat politically aware. But Slovenian politics I know all too little about. It’s been an interesting and active few months on the political field, that much I know. Major protests and a lot of media coverage.

Changes are sure to happen, but what kind exactly, we don’t know as yet. Personally I don’t mind which political party is pulling the strings, if they’re pulling to the ‘right direction’: more transparent and concensus decision making, shifting the power to accommodate a sustainable future in politics, business, the environment, and people’s private lives, and thus promoting also environmental issues, social justice such as equality, etc.

Green is commonly the name of the political environmentalist party of a country or state. This particular political party is a thriving, powerful force in Finland, especially around Helsinki. (Check here their English website, in the 2012 municipal elections they got 8,5 % of votes nationwide, and it is the 2nd largest party in Helsinki, the capital.)

The same gang is only poorly succeeding and marginally known in Slovenia. Much to my disappointment I couldn’t find anything on their website in English. They have 38 (!) likes on Facebook, as oppose to the Finnish Greens having 11,195 likes. (The Slovenian Green party has 33 members / activists (?) in their cover photo on Facebook – who are the five others liking the page?)

Now I’m not arguing the Green party is the best option in one country or another. I am saying however, that the Slovene Greens are failing in a political climate that could and should be in their favour. Why this is, you tell me.

In general these two countries have a lot in common. They’ve been under other’s rules for ages before claiming indepence, they’re small in population, they’re well forested (both being in top 3 in Europe), and they have multiple cultural similarities, too. But politically they differ painfully.

So here I am, hoping to find out more about the Greens in Slovenia. What are they doing wrong? What do they stand for? Who are their supports, campaign leaders, likers on Facebook and real world?

In fact, once I get back from Bosnia, I’ll try to contact the party. Find someone there that speaks English. Interview this person, and post the interview here. Just out of interest. I’ll keep you posted.

And anyone reading this in Slovenia, do comment or point me to the right direction for more info. Thanks!

(All photos are taken in the beautiful, green country of Slovenia.)