Even a mini-summit does not bring a solution to the dispute over extending the service life of nuclear power plants in Germany. Chancellor Scholz and Ministers Habeck and Lindner are thus adjourning the conflict. However, the FDP emphasizes that it is not about the renaissance of nuclear energy.
In the dispute between the traffic light coalition about the continued operation of nuclear power plants in Germany, there is no solution in sight for the time being. Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the SPD, Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the FDP and Economics Minister Robert Habeck from the Greens left the Chancellery in Berlin after a meeting without comment. A government spokesman only confirmed that the three politicians had spoken to each other and did not comment on the content of the conversation.
The coalition had previously said that Scholz, Lindner and Habeck wanted to try another solution on Sunday. However, ntv learned from coalition circles that an agreement is no longer expected today.
The Greens want to keep the two southern German nuclear power plants Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 in reserve until April 15 and continue to use them to generate electricity if necessary. The third remaining Emsland nuclear power plant, on the other hand, is to be finally shut down as planned on January 1, 2023.
After a federal party congress of the Greens at the weekend had also ruled out new nuclear fuel elements, FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai reiterated his party’s position. “Our position is to let all three nuclear power plants available on the grid run until at least 2024,” Djir-Sarai told ARD.
The FDP may also require the reactivation of nuclear power plants that have already been shut down. The SPD does not position itself clearly in the dispute, but is more on the side of the Greens. Above all, she insists on finding a quick, pragmatic solution.
“This is about a temporary extension of the service life. We don’t want a renaissance of nuclear energy. It is important for us that the focus is on renewable energies,” Djir-Sarai continued. “But until then, the core technology for us in this difficult situation for the country is a bridge, a bridge technology.”
