Election special for the 2014 European elections
In the run-up to the European elections on 25 May 2014, we took up questions from the political debate on the topic of nuclear energy and compared them with the parties' statements and asked people for their opinions.
A survey commissioned by the DAtF from the forsa Institute in April 2014 revealed that
72 per cent of respondents were in favour of a uniform European energy policy, while 23 per cent rejected it. At the same time, 56 per cent stated that Germany should maintain its energy policy goals. 40 per cent of respondents thought that these should be reconsidered.
CDU: "Germany wants to influence the international safety debate. Therefore, even after the phase-out, suitable institutionally funded research facilities, independent expert institutions and sufficient official expertise are needed to assess the safety of nuclear power plants and their dismantling, radiation protection and nuclear waste disposal." (European election programme of the CDU, p. 39, 5 April 2014)
Left: "European research funding must be geared more towards the future challenges of society rather than the interests of industry. This includes, in particular, the socio-ecological transformation, the conversion of energy research to sustainable energy sources and the phasing out of nuclear energy research and the ITER fusion project." (Election programme of the Left Party for the European elections, p. 52, 15 February 2014)
Greens: "There must be an end to research funding for the expansion of nuclear energy, to licensing privileges and to favouring investments in nuclear power. Instead, we want to focus research in the field of nuclear energy on health, safety and waste disposal issues." (2014 European election programme of Alliance 90/The Greens, p. 21/22, 7-9 February 2014)
CDU: "However, we emphatically reject the promotion of nuclear energy." (European election programme of the CDU, p. 39, 5 April 2014)
AfD: "The AfD rejects the permanent subsidisation of any type of energy generation." (Programme of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the elections to the European Parliament, p. 19, 22 March 2014)
Pirates: "Public subsidies for fossil and nuclear energy production undermine the change we are striving for towards a sustainable, climate-friendly and as self-sufficient as possible energy supply in Europe. We PIRATEN call for the abolition of all subsidies and grants for the promotion of fossil and nuclear energy. This includes, in particular, indirect subsidies in the form of statutory liability exemptions for nuclear power plants." (The Pirate Party election programme for the 2014 European elections, 4/5 January 2014)
Left: "DIE LINKE is fighting for the immediate phase-out of nuclear energy." (Election programme of the Left Party for the European elections, p. 31, 15 February 2014)
Greens: "We are campaigning for binding and ambitious European climate and energy targets and say: nuclear power, no thanks - throughout Europe."(2014 European election programme of Alliance 90/The Greens, p. 16, 7-9 February 2014)
FDP: "If it is necessary to extend the operating times of nuclear power plants in order to secure the base load supply in Germany, then we have to talk about it - even if some people then immediately start ranting about phasing out nuclear power. But you can't pretend that the world hasn't moved on! And I don't want to be responsible for the exit from Germany as an industrial location." (FDP lead candidate for the European elections, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff in DIE WELT Online, 13 April 2014)
Left: "The European treaty community Euratom must be cancelled and dissolved." (Election programme of the Left Party for the European elections, p. 31, 15 February 2014)
Greens: "The Euratom Treaty is a relic from another time. [...] We say a firm no to it! [...] We are therefore committed to fundamentally reforming and democratising the Euratom Treaty. We want the European Parliament to finally have a say in relevant legislation and for citizens to be given the right to take a European Citizens' Initiative on all nuclear energy issues. [...] It is time for a European energy transition with the exit from the European Atomic Energy Community and the entry into a European Community for Renewable Energies (ERENE). It should promote the efficient expansion of renewable energies within the EU and thus make Europe the pioneer of the energy supply of the 21st century." (2014 European election programme of Alliance 90/The Greens, p. 21/22, 7-9 February 2014)
CDU: "Risks don't stop at borders. That is why power plants must offer the highest level of safety. We will work in Europe to increase the safety of nuclear power plants and establish binding safety targets. We want a system of reciprocal control with continued national responsibility for safety. We are committed to close cooperation and comprehensive transparency in all safety-related issues at European level." (European election programme of the CDU, p. 39, 5 April 2014)
Greens: "Strict common safety standards must be introduced in line with the state of the art in science and technology and strict and constant controls must be guaranteed." (2014 European election programme of Alliance 90/The Greens, p. 22, 7-9 February 2014)
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