German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has sparked disagreement within the party by rejecting a comeback of nuclear power in Germany.
CSU state‑group leader Alexander Hoffmann told the “Stern” that Germany’s departure from nuclear energy in the 1970s and 1980s should not close the door on future technologies. He stressed the party’s support for research into fourth‑ and fifth‑generation nuclear technology and called the construction of small modular reactors “sensible”. Hoffmann described these reactors as climate‑neutral, safe and cost‑effective, arguing that they would strengthen Germany’s energy independence – a point he is actively promoting.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) had called for a renaissance of nuclear power across the continent, labeling the retreat from nuclear energy a “strategic mistake”. In response, Merz told a press conference on Tuesday evening that the decision to exit nuclear power was made by previous federal governments and that “this resolution is irreversible”.