Deutschland lässt die Opposition gegen die Kernenergie in der Annäherung mit Frankreich fallen

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Submission Statement

The Financial Times is reporting that Friedrich Merz, Germany’s new chancellor, is planning to drop his country’s longstanding opposition to including nuclear power in the EU’s definition of „renewable energy“, which would remove a longstanding bone of contention with its neighbour France. Germany committed to closing all its nuclear power stations after the Fukushima disaster in 2011, and shuttered the last three remaining plants under the previous chancellor Olaf Sholz, a decision which Merz opposed at the time. In contrast, about 70% of France’s electricity production is obtained from nuclear power plants. The move would leave Austria as the only remaining EU member to oppose the measure, at a time when several countries including France have committed to expanding nuclear power generation, prompted in part by the brief but dramatic spike in natural gas prices which occurred when Russia embargoed exports in retaliation for European support for Ukraine. Merz has not expressed an interest in reviving Germany’s nuclear power infrastructure, but supports exploring the potential of new technologies like modular reactors and nuclear fusion.

The move likely reflects a desire on the part of the new chancellor to mend fences with France, which have been strained for years, at a time when the continent is facing multiple economic and security challenges, and would remove a major obstacle to finalizing the EU’s energy strategy.

The article also notes:

> The reversal comes as Merz is seeking to explore ways for Germany to join France’s nuclear shield as a deterrent against future Russian aggression. “We are now actually finally open to talk to France about nuclear deterrence for Europe. Better late than never,” the German official said.