Germany Refuses Return to Nuclear Energy Despite EU Pressure
Germany will not return to nuclear energy despite new proposals from the European Union to expand nuclear power. Chancellor فريدريش ميرتس said reversing Germany’s nuclear phase-out is no longer possible.
The debate intensified after European Commission President أورسولا فون دير لاين described the decision by some European countries to abandon nuclear energy as a “strategic mistake.” Speaking at a nuclear summit near Paris, she argued that nuclear power remains a reliable and low-emission source of electricity and announced plans for new European Union financial support for nuclear projects.
Germany, however, shut down its last nuclear reactor in 2023 after a long political process that began following the كارثة فوكوشيما in Japan in 2011. For decades, nuclear energy played a significant role in Germany’s electricity supply, with 37 reactors generating up to 30% of the country’s power at their peak.
Chancellor فريدريش ميرتس acknowledged that some members of his conservative political camp support nuclear power, but he said previous governments had already made the decision to phase it out. He added that reversing the policy would require a parliamentary majority that does not currently exist, especially since he refuses to cooperate with the far-right حزب البديل من أجل ألمانيا.
Germany’s coalition partner, the الحزب الديمقراطي الاجتماعي (SPD), also strongly rejected the idea of building new nuclear power plants. Environment Minister كارستن شنايدر argued that nuclear technology has already cost taxpayers billions of euros and remains dependent on government subsidies despite decades of development.
Schneider also criticized proposals for المفاعلات المعيارية الصغيرة (SMRs), which some advocates see as the future of nuclear energy. He said these projects have been under development for many years without achieving a technological breakthrough or proving their economic viability.
While Germany remains firmly opposed to nuclear power, several European countries are considering expanding it. France, which operates 57 nuclear reactors, has formed a coalition of 15 EU states supporting the construction of new plants as part of Europe’s long-term energy strategy.
Germany’s opposition to nuclear energy has deep historical roots. The كارثة تشيرنوبيل in 1986 sparked widespread anti-nuclear protests across the country, and political momentum eventually led to a gradual phase-out plan adopted in 2000 and reinforced after the Fukushima disaster. That policy remains unchanged today.