Green party conference continues with debates on foreign policy and arms exports

The Greens want to continue their federal party conference in Bonn with debates on foreign policy, arms exports and the wave of protests in Iran. After a controversial debate, around 800 delegates supported their Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck late on Friday evening in his plan to phase out nuclear power.

Under the agenda item “Values-based, multilateral, capable of action: green peace and security policy at a turning point” on Saturday, support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia and asylum policy will also be discussed. The controversial approval of the federal government of armaments to Saudi Arabia should also be discussed. A debate on climate protection is scheduled shortly before the end of the event on Sunday. The motto of the party conference is "When our world is in question: Answer".

On the first day, the delegates decided with a clear majority that the two southern German nuclear power plants Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 should be kept in reserve until April 15 and continue to be used to generate electricity if necessary. The third remaining Emsland nuclear power plant, on the other hand, is to be finally shut down on January 1, 2023.

The delegates rejected the procurement of new fuel elements. "Bündnis 90/Die Grünen will not agree to any legal regulation in the Bundestag that would procure new fuel elements or the new enriched uranium required for them," says the approved motion. The majority of the delegates thus confirmed the line that leading Greens, such as the two party leaders Ricarda Lang and Omid Nouripour, represent in the dispute with the FDP.

A heated argument has broken out in the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP over how to deal with German nuclear power plants. While the FDP is pushing for a longer period of operation, the Greens in particular reject this. Habeck had proposed a nuclear power reserve, but recently made it clear that he assumes that continued operation of the two southern German nuclear power plants will be necessary.

Some delegates expressed security concerns and the fear that the so-called operational reserve could gradually lead to a withdrawal from the nuclear phase-out. "Who can guarantee us this date?" asked delegate Karl-Wilhelm Koch from the Vulkaneifel rhetorically, with a view to Habeck's plans for the final end of operations for German nuclear power plants in mid-April. Even the phase-out of nuclear power on December 31 of the current year was actually guaranteed.

Habeck said that nuclear power plants could make a contribution, albeit limited, to securing Germany's power supply in the coming winter. "As a minister who is ultimately responsible for security of supply," he asked for approval.