Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) has rejected the proposal by Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) to transfer responsibility for nuclear power to the federal states. With the FDP, which had campaigned for longer nuclear power plant runtimes before the last reactors in Germany were switched off, Söder’s demand caused astonishment and criticism. The CSU leader received encouragement from the CDU.
The last three remaining German nuclear power plants were shut down late on Saturday evening, including Isar 2 in Bavaria. In the “Bild am Sonntag”, Söder called for the Atomic Energy Act to be changed again and for the federal states to be given responsibility so that Bavaria can continue to operate the reactor on its own.
Lemke insisted on the responsibility of the federal government for nuclear power and pointed out that the federal states acted on the issue on behalf of the federal government. “It is downright depressing how a prime minister so carelessly ignores licensing and constitutional issues and aspects of nuclear safety,” said the Green politician of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and the “Bild” newspaper (Monday). “Even if you want to bring the reactor back online, as Mr. Söder obviously wants, it is not enough to legally grant it a new term. It would require a new license for the reactor.”
“Söder changes his positions like underpants”
Former Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin (Greens) told the “Welt” that Söder “threw himself behind a crazy train with a big gesture”. According to the Basic Law, the responsibility for nuclear energy lies with the federal government, the states only carry this out on behalf of the federal government. “That also applies to Bavaria, even during election campaigns,” emphasized Trittin. From the point of view of Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt, Söder has implicitly made a commitment to store nuclear waste in Bavaria, as she said on the ARD program “Anne Will”.
FDP politicians were surprised by Söder’s statements. Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai once again made it clear in the “Rheinische Post” that the FDP had sympathy for longer nuclear power plant operations. Djir-Sarai said in the direction of Söder: “By the time a law was passed to federalize electricity generation from nuclear energy, he would probably have changed his mind again.” As Bavarian Environment Minister, Söder also pushed ahead with the nuclear phase-out.
FDP Vice Johannes Vogel made a similar statement. “Markus Söder changes his positions like underpants,” said Vogel on the ARD program “Anne Will”. “I would hate to give someone that erratic the responsibility for energy policy,” added Vogel.
Spahn strengthens Söder’s back
Söder, on the other hand, finds supporters of his idea in the CDU. Union faction vice Jens Spahn wrote on Twitter that pragmatic solutions are now needed. “If Bavaria is willing to take on the political and technical responsibility for continued operation, the federal government should make this possible,” he emphasized. The parliamentary manager of the Union faction, Thorsten Frei (CDU), told the “Rheinische Post” that giving up nuclear energy was a wrong decision. “It is therefore right and an expression of his responsibility as Prime Minister that Markus Söder considers all possibilities to avert this gross mistake after all.”
