DÜSSELDORF (dpa-AFX) - The conflict over Lützerath is also a test of strength for the Green Party, which co-governs North Rhine-Westphalia. That was clearly expressed in initial reactions after police began clearing the Lower Rhine lignite village on Wednesday.

"The eviction of the village and the subsequent burning of the coal underneath is wrong in the existing and worsening climate crisis," the state spokesman of the Green Youth NRW, Rênas Sahin, stressed in a statement. The Green Youth sees itself as part of the climate movement. "In the coming weeks, we will continue to loudly stand up for Lützerath on the streets and fight for effective climate policies in the actions around the village," he announced.

On the one hand, the chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group in the state parliament, Verena Schäffer, praised the legitimate commitment of the climate protectors and also spoke of a common struggle. "However, the end does not justify the means," she warned. Initial reports of violence against the deployed police officers filled her with great concern. "Violence is not a legitimate means of political struggle. Part of a constitutional state is the prosecution of crimes."

Her co-chair Wibke Brems acknowledged, "Today is not an easy day for us Greens and all people committed to climate protection." Like NRW Environment Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) before her, however, she again cited legally binding agreements with RWE as well as expert opinions on the energy-economic necessity of coal mining under Lützerath.

In the ZDF "Morgenmagazin" also the federal spokeswoman of the Green Youth, Sarah-Lee Heinrich, had openly admitted a conflict with the mother party. Many people in Lützerath were disappointed in the Greens, she said. "We have one headline after the next that we are actually ripping our climate targets in every area," Heinrich said.

The energy company RWE wants to excavate the coal lying under Lützerath - to do so, the hamlet on the territory of the city of Erkelenz is to be demolished. Climate activists have been living in vacant houses in Lützerath for months; they want to oppose the eviction.

The economics ministries led by the Greens in the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had agreed with the energy company RWE on a coal phase-out brought forward to 2030. In addition, five already largely empty villages at the Garzweiler open pit mine in the neighborhood of Lützerath are to be preserved./beg/DP/jha