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German Green Party gathers support from anti-nuclear public sentiment

The nuclear issue has galvanized support for the Green party, which has grown to be a major force in national politics.

Germany: Greens See Red Over Nuclear Power Extension, TIME, By Tristana Moore / Berlin Wednesday, Sep. 29, 2010 “Nuclear power harms Germany’ is the Greenpeace message projected on the cooling systems of the nuclear power plant in Grafenrheinfeld near Schweinfurt, southern Germany, on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. Going against massive public opposition, the German cabinet on Tuesday gave the green light to extend the nation’s use of nuclear power…..it could also give Merkel a headache, as the proposed extension sets the government on a collision course with political parties, environmental groups and the public. If the proposal is approved by the German legislature, the operating life of Germany’s 17 nuclear reactors would be extended by an average of 12 years beyond its originally planned phase-out…..
The nuclear issue has galvanized support for the Green party, which has grown to be a major force in national politics. “Some polls put the Greens on a par in popularity with the Social Democrats at around 20% — that’s unprecedented in German history,” says Dieter Rucht, professor of sociology at Berlin’s Social Science Research Centre…..If the coalition manages to bypass the Bundesrat, as it hopes to, opposition parties and Greenpeace have another plan up their sleeves — they’re preparing to mount a legal challenge in the Federal Constitutional Court. With the government’s approval ratings already at rock bottom, Merkel can’t afford to make Germany’s green movement red with rage.

Germany: Greens See Red Over Nuclear Power Extension – TIME

September 30, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear spin, reactors