A pro-nuclear energy organization, Nuklearia, intends to stage another demonstration this Sunday, coinciding with the scheduled ARD “Summer Interview” featuring SPD leader Bärbel Bas. The planned protest comes after a similar action last weekend and has been formally registered to begin at 8:00 AM Sunday.
Niels Harksen of Nuklearia stated the group’s focus is to reach the SPD and its traditional voter base of unionized industrial workers, emphasizing the potential impact of high energy costs on their jobs. Harksen argues that reactivating German nuclear power plants could provide affordable electricity and safeguard employment if the SPD were to support extending their operational lifespan.
Last Sunday, Nuklearia activists attempted to utilize the “Summer Interview” with Green Party leader Felix Banaszak as a platform for their message, gathering near the Reichstag building. However, they discovered the ARD had pre-recorded the interview earlier in the morning – a departure from the usual schedule – and cancelled the live internet stream and scheduled press conference, citing “security reasons” according to an ARD spokesperson.
Harksen expressed disappointment that viewers were “deprived of both the popular interactive livestream format and a relevant contribution to the debate” asserting that their registered demonstration was simply intended to display banners within background shots, without disrupting the interview itself.
The location and timing of this Sunday’s interview remain undisclosed, adding uncertainty as to whether the broadcast will follow its traditional format on the terrace overlooking the Reichstag. Adverse weather has previously led to interviews being conducted in a studio environment, such as the July 2024 interview with Christian Lindner. However, current forecasts predict sunny weather and high temperatures for Berlin on Sunday.
The heightened secrecy surrounding the broadcast stems from disruptions during the “Summer Interview” with Alice Weidel in mid-July, when the activist group “Center for Political Beauty” utilized a loudspeaker vehicle to significantly interfere with the proceedings.