The German government, despite knowing the risks, proceeded with the closure of nuclear plants during the Ukraine war energy crisis. Claims from a magazine that sued the government to release internal documents suggest that the Green party minister may have been misled by his own team to ensure the closures went ahead.
The decision to shut down the final three nuclear power plants in 2022 left Germany scrambling for alternative energy sources like coal, gas, and LNG. The conservative opposition has long suspected government deception in this transition towards renewables.
The magazine, Cicero, alleges that a key briefing document questioning the closure policy may have been kept from Minister Robert Habeck, leading to the deceptive decision-making process. The opposition threatens a committee of enquiry if Habeck doesn’t disclose all relevant documents.
Despite the ongoing scandal, the Green-left coalition government denies any wrongdoing, while their liberal coalition partners caution against fueling conspiracy theories. The controversy surrounding the closure of nuclear plants during an energy crisis continues to grow in Germany.
