Energy fears weaken German taboos over nuclear power and speed limits
Germany’s energy crisis has led the coalition government to toy with ideas that have long been seen as politically taboo, such as extending the life of unpopular nuclear power plants and – perhaps even more divisive – imposing a speed limit on the autobahn in the hope it will reduce fuel usage.
As the country braces for a winter of uncertainty amid fears that Russian gas could be cut off completely and electricity may be in short supply, the three-way coalition of the Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business FDP are looking for ways to ease the situation.
Central to the debate is also how Germany hopes to maintain its climate goals, particularly after a recent decision – backed by the Green economics minister – to reignite highly polluting coal-fired power plants for a limited time.
The proposal gaining ever more traction and making its mark in newspaper editorials and late-night television debates is for the country’s remaining three nuclear power plants, which are due to close at the end of the year, to be kept running, a move staunchly opposed by the Green party since it came into existence in the 1980s.
Meanwhile, the FDP has not publicly signalled that it is ready to give up its enduring opposition to a speed limit on the autobahns, but the opposition Christian Democrats, under pressure from their close allies, have hinted they may be prepared to consider backing a temporary limit.
Germany’s last three remaining nuclear power stations generate enough electricity to heat about 7m homes, or to cover just under 6% of the country’s electricity needs. Talk of keeping them open remains speculative, but comments from both sides of the debate suggest they might move towards a compromise.
The Greens’ leader, Ricarda Lang,
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