Bavaria calls for mandate to continue operating its nuclear power plant

Markus Söder, the Bavarian minister-president, is fighting to keep nuclear power permitted in Germany beyond the statutory deadline for shutting down nuclear power plants. He told Bild at the weekend that he wants the federal states to be given the option of continuing to operate nuclear power plants under their own responsibility.

Söder said Bavaria wants to operate the Isar 2 plant independently in future and keep it running until the end of the decade. Söder has the backing of his party, the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), and the leader of its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz is open to the idea, describing the proposal as “open to discussion”.

Other parties have criticized the proposal, making its implementation seem practically impossible. It is unlikely that a majority in the Bundestag could be found for the necessary amendment to the Atomic Energy Act. Britta Haßelmann, leader of the Greens' parliamentary group in the Bundestag, said the Atomic Energy Act has required the immediate dismantling of nuclear power plants since 2017.