Nuclear power plant lifetime extension: nuclear power? A little bit more

The Bundestag has decided to extend the service life of the last three nuclear power plants. In the Green Group, this is causing some stomach ache – above all ex-Environment Minister Trittin.

It’s worth watching Jürgen Trittin today. How he is silent and yet says a lot. The father of the nuclear phase-out is one of the first to come, ten minutes before the debate begins. He knows the cameras are on him now. And that many are asking: How will he vote, the former Federal Minister for the Environment, who once pushed through the nuclear phase-out?

The group leader Britta Haßelmann comes to his place, the two talk for a while. They basically agree on this. Nevertheless, they will vote differently today – and it can be assumed that both of them know that.

Pain for the Greens

The debate is emotional and personal. Harald Ebner, Chairman of the Environment Committee, speaks first. The Green tells about his daughter, who was born shortly before the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. He would never have dreamed of giving this speech. It is an impertinence. “But we expect this because the phase-out of nuclear power will remain in place,” adds Ebner. It is central that no new fuel rods are procured. Applause from the Green Group. Trittin doesn’t gossip.

At their party conference in October, the Greens had decided something else – even with pain. Nuclear power only as a reserve. And only for two of the three power plants. The coalition partner FDP wanted a term extension until 2024. Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner allowed themselves to be publicly watched during the dispute. In the end, the chancellor made the final decision. After that it almost seemed as if the quarreling ministers were relieved, because now it was decided.

FDP and SPD vote unanimously for the law

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is absent from the debate today, as is Lindner. Habeck comes later, since the discussion is already underway. He demonstratively works through files. As if he didn’t want to listen at all, as if he wanted to let everything roll off him. He also knows that the cameras are looking at him. The chancellor and finance minister come first to vote.

The CDU politician Julia Klöckner speaks directly to the Greens in Parliament. She understands that the party is having trouble introducing this bill. “But what I cannot understand is that you are working out your pains and convulsions against an opposition that argues with facts and not with ideology.” She is interrupted by laughter from the Green faction – Trittin laughs particularly loudly and bangs his hand on the table.

The Greens – Klöckner goes on to say – are not concerned with the cause or the people. It’s about the fact that Trittin doesn’t want to spoil his life’s work. There it is again, the old ideological controversy over nuclear power. Like the Union, the FDP would like to keep the nuclear power plants running longer. The liberals let it be known that they do not consider the bill to be the ideal solution either. In the end, however, like the SPD, she voted in favor of the law.

Nine votes against from the Greens

The majority of traffic lights are not in danger. But from the Greens there is a total of one abstention and nine votes against. One comes from Trittin. He does not speak in the debate. He sent out a statement at 11:29 a.m. – even before the result of the vote was announced: “We reject this extension of the term.”

The nuclear phase-out had been decided across party lines. “Changing such a consensus requires weighty reasons. These are not present here – on the contrary,” writes Trittin. The Chancellor’s directive is questionable in terms of energy policy. “We” will not agree, Trittin writes. But the statement bears only his name. That should probably say: Here one speaks for the green soul. A soul that was surprisingly flexible of late. The bottom line is today.