[hesk]

That's too simplistic. Retiring nuclear power plants has been the long term goal of the German anti-nuclear movement since the 70s. They were an important faction in the founding of the Green Party. When the Green party came into power in 1998 in a coalition government, they passed a law to retire all nuclear power plants by restricting the remaining energy output they could produce. BTW, this was done in consensus with the German nuclear industry. In 2009, a free-market/conservative coalition came into power again and they reversed course. Then Fukushima happened, a couple hundred thousand people demonstrated against nuclear power in Germany, a Green-led government won the elections in a historically conservative state, and Andrea Merkel changed her opinion.

Long story short, phasing out nuclear energy has been a long term goal and has broad support in Germany.

[netsharc]

> a Green-led government won the elections in a historically conservative state, and Andrea Merkel changed her opinion.

Chronologically was the other way around, and her "Our party now consider nuclear harmful" stance didn't change the outcome post-Fukushima. But it's typical Merkel of the time, changing her tune to whatever's politically advantageous.

[tomp]

The fact that you missed her name (it’s Angela, not Andrea) makes me doubt the veracity of the rest of your comment.

[hesk]

Yeah, that was a brain fart. Not sure, who I was thinking of in the moment.

[BurningFrog]

> Then Fukushima happened, [...], and Andrea Merkel changed her opinion.

Didn't you say the same as OP, with a lot more words?

[Tomte]

No. He explained that there is a huge societal movement behind that. OP made it sound like Merkel decided on a personal whim.