Bunched in ideological edifices - without a hint of reason

It is a strange understanding of democracy that the President of the Bundestag Bärbel Bas (SPD) shows: At the beginning of the year, she irritably called for an end to the debate about letting the nuclear power plants in Germany run at least until the energy crisis is over. Apparently, the health insurance business economist was more dreaming than listening in the social studies courses of her further education.

Otherwise the social democrat would know: Democracy is governing through conflict and conflict is the driving force behind change. Every healthy, self-confident and dynamic society knows and recognizes conflicts in its structures. Denying them would have just as serious consequences for society as the suppression of mental conflicts for the individual: it is not those who speak of conflicts, but those who try to remain silent about them that are in danger of losing their security as a result.

Bas, on the other hand, brushes those principles aside. They prefer to walk in the usual paths of their world view, according to which atomic energy is the devil.

Even Greta Thunberg is more agile in this area. Unlike Bas and most of the Greens, the climate protection activist has understood that coal is not a transitional form of energy, but rather nuclear power. It makes it possible to improve the climate balance of the respective countries because it helps to reduce the CO₂ emissions that arise when fossil fuels are burned.

Apparently, Bas and many Greens don't mind that more and more electric cars will be driving through the streets in Germany with the help of coal-fired power. Full-bodied, they demand the turn of the era - but please, only where their own ideology is not questioned. At least Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) is now advising experts to decide how long the nuclear power plants should run. You can already predict the result.

According to Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck, the nuclear power plants will still be used this winter, but not beyond. From his point of view, Chancellor Olaf Scholz made the “final” decision.

Source: WORLD

No open-minded person understands why the remaining service life of German nuclear power plants is not extended by the time when people anxiously stare at the levels in the gas storage facilities because they are afraid of freezing in their own four walls at the end of winter.

Bas tries to refute these objections by referring to the situation of the French nuclear power plants. But the argument is not convincing: In France, savings have been made in the maintenance and renewal of the plants over the years, with the result that there is now a great need for modernization of nuclear power plants. The problems in France are largely homegrown. At least they can be fixed and the damage repaired.

Not even that is possible in Germany. The main government parties have bunkered their ideological constructs in such a way that they do not even allow the slightest breath of reason to penetrate. At least one thing they fail to do: the debate can no longer be killed.

"Kick-off Politics" is WELT's daily news podcast. The most important topic analyzed by WELT editors and the dates of the day. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, among others, or directly via RSS feed.