Survey: Over half of Germans back return to nuclear power

Germany phased out nuclear energy in April 2023, when the final three plants were permanently shut.

The online survey, commissioned by comparison portal Verivox and conducted by the opinion research institute Innofact, gathered responses from 1,007 participants between March 27-31.

The results show a sharp divide on the issue, with 55% of respondents supporting the reactivation of nuclear plants, 36% against nuclear power and 9% undecided.

The country's conservative CDU/CSU bloc, which is expected to form the next government under Friedrich Merz, has indicated interest in revisiting the possibility of reopening recently closed nuclear plants.

According to the survey, 32% of respondents support reopening closed plants and even building new ones, while 22% only favour reactivating the most recently closed plants.

Men are more supportive of nuclear power than women, the survey found.

Germany was so alarmed by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March 2011 that then-chancellor Angela Merkel announced a phase-out of nuclear power in the country.

The original plan called for a complete phase-out by the end of 2022, but this was delayed due to the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the expansion of renewable energy continues to gain broad support in Germany, with 57% of those surveyed backing continued heavy investment in this area. Only 17% opposed this direction.