They lied so they could shut down the nuclear power plants. Germany in a storm

German Minister of Economy and Climate Protection Robert Habeck (Greens) has a big problem on his shoulders. The most read German newspaper Bild pointed out that Habeck’s department distorted the documents about the shutdown of one nuclear power plant in 2023. The goal of distorting the facts was to end the operation of the nuclear block as quickly as possible. The aim of the manipulation was to prevent the extension of the operation of nuclear power plants. “The goal: to prevent the last three nuclear power plants from running longer,” the Bild newspaper server literally wrote.

“When asked, Habeck’s ministry explained that State Secretary Patrick Graichen (52), who has since been fired, is to blame. This means: Habeck knew nothing…” continued the topic of the server.

However, Habeck’s officials defend that everything was done transparently. They even wrote a letter about it.

The letter states, among other things, about the shutdown of the nuclear power plant: “The review has always been open and transparent.” The ministry is said to have “always addressed the question” of whether extending the life of a nuclear power plant can help in a crisis.

Politicians from the opposition CDU, as well as some members of the ruling coalition of social democrats, liberals from the FDP and the Greens, demand an explanation.

Opposition MP Gitta Connemann (CDU), who has been a Member of Parliament since 2002, i.e. for 22 years, is calling for the dismantling of the last nuclear power plants to be stopped immediately due to the scandal at Habeck’s ministry. Her party colleague Mark Helfrich is calling for a commission to investigate the “fraudulent operation”.

Habeck must explain “how he wants to regain the lost trust”, said FDP energy expert Michael Kruse (40). And for FDP leadership member Martin Hagen (43), it’s clear: “(The minister’s) resignation would be a logical consequence.”

Server asked the magazine Der Spiegel, whether the Greens were really lying when they tried to convince the public of the need to shut down Germany’s remaining nuclear reactors as quickly as possible. “Hitherto unknown files from the Ministry of Economy and Environment show how controversial the final phase-out of nuclear power was,” the server said.

“Did senior staff members of Federal Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (both Greens) suppress internal criticism and expertise regarding nuclear phase-out plans?” asked German public broadcaster ZDF.

Several FDP politicians used the article published this Thursday to attack their coalition partner. “Cicero” reported that expert opinions on extending the life of German nuclear power plants were allegedly manipulated within the ministries. Robert Habeck himself was deliberately misinformed by his own people, according to “Cicero”. The Ministry of Economy and Environment denied this, but the damage had already been done.

“The files on nuclear energy show that we citizens and we coalition partners have not learned the whole truth about nuclear decommissioning,” FDP federal executive Gerald Ullrich wrote on the X social network.

CSU General Secretary Martin Huber wrote on the X social network that Habeck is “no longer acceptable”. “Either he was lying or he wasn’t in control of his own Ministry of Ideology,” Huber said.

Habeck himself defends the decision to phase out nuclear energy. The departure was “totally justifiable” and did not jeopardize Germany’s supply security, Habeck said in a TikTok video Thursday afternoon.

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