business stance. The federal election marked the end of an era for the Greens, who had earlier gradually lost all their seats in Germany's state governments although their voter support has remained stable at 8 per cent nationally. With the SPD eclipsed, the party must either hope for an SPD rebirth at the 2009 election, or contemplate a link with conservative parties. A paper on Green philosophy said the party stood for emancipation, the left, liberty and the preservation of values. There was effusive praise Saturday for outgoing German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, the party strongman, who did not attend the congress. He says he will seek no new party office and will be retiring to the parliamentary back benches. "Thank you Joschka for the last seven years," said Buetikofer to the absent Fischer. "We'll be staying together."
