Dr. Gisela Bulla

In 1993, the party Mensch-Umwelt-Tierschutz (Man / Environment / Animal Protection) was founded in Germany out of concern for the animals and out of despair in the face of the extremely slow and minimal progress made with regard to animal protection. Worldwide, we are the first, and so far, unfortunately the only animal protection party. In thirteen of the sixteen federal states in Germany, we were able to found local sections. This is an important pre-requisite for participating in elections.

We are currently preparing for the federal elections for the Bundestag on September 27, 1998. In order to participate, we need to collect more than 25.000 signatures of people supporting us.

Though many people have not yet noticed it, animal protection has long become a political issue. The laws which violate the rights of animals and permit their exploitation and enslavement were made in the parliaments - and only in the parliaments can they be revoked. Therefore, animal rights campaigners need to get into the parliaments and represent the rights of animals there. Hopefully, more than just one animal protection party will be taking part in the European elections in 1999. In most EU countries, it is much easier to gain seats in parliaments than it is here in Germany, where we need to get five percent of the votes in order to be admitted into parliament.

We have elaborated an election program in which vegetarianism plays an important role, since vegetarianism is animal protection in practise which can be implemented by anyone immediately. Our federal board is made up exclusively of vegetarians and vegans, as is the case on most boards on a federal state level as well. Personally, I have been pursuing a vegetarian lifestyle for more than twenty years and wear neither fur nor leather, neither wool nor silk. We reject genetic engineering in the production of food in any manner.

We support the idea of holistic, alternative medicine which supports the self-healing properties of the human body and researches the reasons for illnesses instead of simply counteracting symptoms. The abolition of any kind of animal testing is our declared goal.

We are determined to fight unemployment. New economic structures will create many new jobs, particularly in ecological agriculture. But in the areas of education and health care, much personnel is needed as well. One of our major concerns is stopping our use of nuclear power while simultaneously working on elaborating the possibilities of solar and tidal energy. We are also striving for the systematic implementation of environmental protection, which has been neglected for far too long. Both alternative sources of energy and environmental protection will create many jobs. Valuable work geared towards the future, they say, cannot be paid for today. Why? Because our taxes are squandered on nonsensical arms projects, status symbols and subsidies for projects in which animals are abused.

Our goal is the creation of a world in which humans and animals can coexist in harmony with each other and with nature. Every child loves animals and very few children like to eat meat. Love for our fellow creatures is inbred, exploitation and disregard for animals on the other hand is a matter of education. That is our starting point and our hope for the future.

Munich, May 26, 1998
Dr. Gisela Bulla, Hauzenberger Str. 8, D-8000 Munich, Germany

The 'Tierschutzpartei' (Party for the Protection of Animals) has decided to take part in the Bundestag elections in 13 federal states. Due to the surprisingly large amount of new members, the participants of the federal party conference are moderately optimistic with regard to the possible result of the election.

Ms. Gisela Bulla, Ph.D., was unanimously (!) elected leading candidate. This result shows the absolute confidence the party members place in Ms. Bulla. The well-known writer was born in Hamburg and has been living in Munich since she was six. During the campaign, the main focus will be the abolition of scandalous animal transports by stopping subsidies and an absolute ban on animal testing.

"If animals - according to the animal protection laws - are our fellow creatures, it is high time we started treating them as such," says Ms. Bulla. "We are striving to stop the enslavement of animals, they have as much of a right to live as we do."

Gernot Dreher, the president of the Hamburg section of the party, was elected secretary general. Mr. Dreher, born in Hamburg, is 51 years of age and campaigned during the Hamburg local elections. "Our election program clearly shows that we are not only campaigning for animal protection laws. Our concern applies to all those at a disadvantage: the unemployed as well as women, children and senior citizens," he stated. The 'Tierschutzpartei' (Animal Rights Party), as became evident in the discussion, promotes a vegetarian, vegan lifestyle, since not consuming or using meat, fish, leather and wool is applied animal protection, anyone can implement immediately.

Genetically engineered products are generally rejected. The party has also refused several offers of entering election coalitions. "This would only dilute the ideal of animal protection," says Gisela Bulla. In the implementation of its goals, the party sees an opportunity of creating many jobs in the fields of environmental and animal protection, in ecological agriculture and in education and health care.

The good attendance at the party conference gives hope for the future. The party 'Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz - Die Tierschutzpartei' is well on its way to becoming an established party.

Contact: Die Tierschutzpartei, Thiemannhof 22, D-21147 Hamburg
Phone: +49 (0)40 797 53 024; Fax: +49 (0) 40 796 73 17; e-mail: gdreher@mants.de

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