In politics, a red–green alliance or red–green coalition is an alliance of "red" (often social-democratic or democratic socialist) parties with "green" (often green political, environmentalist or sometimes Nordic agrarian) parties. The alliance is often based on common left political views, especially a shared distrust of corporate or capitalist institutions. While the "red" social-democratic parties tend to focus on the effects of capitalism on the working class, the "green" environmentalist parties tend to focus on the environmental effects of capitalism.
The term was coined by conservative Prime Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt in a debate against the Social Democrat opposition leader Ingvar Carlsson 1994.
There have been a number of red-green governments in Europe since the 1990s.
Political parties or joint electoral lists have been formed over the years, most often between socialists and left-oriented greens. Example include:
There are also red/green political alliances and/or electoral agreements between social-democratic or liberal parties with green parties