Abstract
This chapter discusses the use and role of online participation tools in the Green Party and Pirate Party Germany. The Green Party was founded in 1980, the Pirate Party in 2006; in between these years, the web became an integral part of political interaction. This has implications for how both parties conceptualise and implement online tools for their internal processes. Both parties claim to follow grassroots democratic principles and encourage extensive participation from their members. Both use a variety of online tools. While the pirates based most of their participation opportunities on online technology from the outset, the greens introduce tools slowly, ensuring they are in line with existing participation processes and ideals.
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Notes
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As per information provided by both party administrations.
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Appendices
Annex 1: List of Party Documents
12.1.1 Green Party Germany
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Geschäftsordnung Der Bundesversammlungen Kiel: 33. Ordentliche Bundesdelegiertenkonferenz. (Procedural rules for national assemblies: Kiel, 33rd regular national delegate assembly) (2011). [Accessed 1 Sep 2015]. https://www.gruene.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/20120718_Geschaeftsordnung_BDK.pdf.
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Antragsübersicht 34. Ordentliche Bundesdelegiertenkonferenz (16–18 November 2012) (Proposals for the 34th regular national delegate assembly). [Accessed 1 Sep 2015]. https://www.gruene.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/BDK_2012_Hannover_Antraege/BDK_Hannover_2012_Alle_Antraege_1_Verschickung.pdf.
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Grüne Regeln (Satzung). (Statutes) (2012). [Accessed 1 Sep 2015]. https://www.gruene.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/Satzung/150425_-_Satzung_Bundesverband.pdf.
12.1.2 Pirate Party Germany
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Liquid Feedback. (2015) [Accessed 25 July 2015]. https://www.piratenpartei.de/mitmachen/arbeitsweise-und-tools/liquid-feedback/.
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Bundessatzung. (National statutes) (2015) [Accessed 16 June 2015]. http://wiki.piratenpartei.de/wiki/index.php?title=Bundessatzung&oldid=2396772.
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Basisentscheid Entscheidsordnung. (Grass-roots decision rules) (2013) [Accessed 16 June 2015]. http://wiki.piratenpartei.de/wiki/index.php?title=Basisentscheid/Entscheidsordnung&oldid=2193021.
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Geschäftsordnung Bundesparteitag 2014.1. (Rules of procedure for general assembly 2014–1) [Accessed 1 July 2015]. http://wiki.piratenpartei.de/wiki/index.php?title=Bundesparteitag_2014.1/Gesch%C3%A4ftsordnung&oldid=2263%20107.
Annex 2: Interviews
12.2.1 Green Party Germany
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A member of staff of the federal office, working in organisation and support of committees, and in charge of the preparation of party conferences.
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A local branch representative from North Rhine-Westphalia and delegate for the party conference.
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A member of the party leadership team, involved in decisions about, and preparations for, general assemblies.
12.2.2 Pirate Party Germany
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A member of the organisational team that manages general assemblies and prepares the procedural rules.
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A long-time member of the party who is active in the area of public relations and is familiar with processes through communicating them.
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A former member of the motion committee, who was in charge of categorising and structuring incoming motions.
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A member of the team that prepares and organises general assemblies, who was involved in the voting process.
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A member of the team that works on the implementation of online votes.
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Thuermer, G. (2021). Is There Such a Thing as a Web-Native Party? Use and Role of Online Participation Tools in the Green and Pirate Parties in Germany. In: Barberà, O., Sandri, G., Correa, P., Rodríguez-Teruel, J. (eds) Digital Parties. Studies in Digital Politics and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78668-7_12
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