In the dispute with the FDP about the nuclear power plant running times, the Greens no longer speak of "red lines". The party leader does not fear a break in the traffic light coalition. However, Lang expects more clarity from the SPD: How does Chancellor Scholz feel about the continued operation of the nuclear power plants?
In the traffic light dispute about the further use of nuclear energy, the Greens want a clearer positioning from the coalition partner SPD. "Sometimes I would like to know what the SPD's position is on this subject," said Green Party leader Ricarda Lang in Berlin. "It wasn't so clear to me within the last few weeks." Lang had been asked about her expectations of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The FDP and the Greens in particular have been arguing for days as to whether and for how long the three nuclear power plants that are still in operation should continue to operate. At a party congress over the weekend, the Greens decided to support so-called stretching operations for the Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 kilns until mid-April 2023 if necessary. The FDP also wants to keep the third nuclear power plant in Emsland connected to the grid and run all three until 2024. If necessary, nuclear power plants that have already been shut down are to be reactivated. The Greens reject both.
"Now it's about finding solutions quickly," said Lang. When asked to what extent certain conceivable compromises are compatible with the party congress decision, she said: "Negotiations are not held at press conferences, but among each other. But first of all, the party gave us a clear vote and that is also our negotiating line."
Shortly before the start of the party congress, the party leadership had emphasized that the expected result of the planned vote on this topic was binding for the upcoming talks. "Why else should we decide it?" said co-party leader Omid Nouripour when asked by journalists.
From Lang's point of view, the coalition is not endangered because of the differences in the nuclear issue. "Of course it's not a nice situation at the moment, but the coalition will continue to work together and continue to face the challenges," said the co-leader of the Greens. "We are not only in a time when we have a war on European soil, but also in an energy crisis, in an economic crisis. We are very clear: We want to take responsibility there at the traffic light, but also with the traffic light."
Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck announced further talks with the FDP. "Of course we will have to keep talking," said the Green politician in the afternoon on the sidelines of a visit to the Czech Republic. When asked when this could happen, he said he was in Prague at the moment.
