Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is aiming to upend the country’s energy policy. In a parliamentary motion, the party’s faction is calling for a return to nuclear power and a reversal of the long-planned nuclear exit.
The AfD will table its motion, titled “Re-entering Nuclear Power and Correcting Strategic Mistakes,” for the first time on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Documented as 21/4749, it is expected to be referred to the lead Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy after initial deliberation.
This move comes as Germany continues to grapple with the aftermath of its nuclear phase-out. The decommissioning of the Emsland nuclear power plant in Lingen, Lower Saxony, is not slated for completion until the mid-2030s—a process costing billions and spanning decades.
For consumers, the debate hits home, as energy security and electricity prices hinge directly on such policy decisions. The AfD argues in its motion that the nuclear exit was a strategic blunder that must be rectified.
Political observers, however, do not anticipate majority support for the initiative. The governing coalition and much of the opposition remain committed to the phase-out. Still, the motion underscores how divisive energy policy remains in Germany.
The next steps are clear: after the first reading in the plenary, the Economic Affairs Committee will take up the issue. There, discussions are likely to reignite over costs, safety, and alternatives to nuclear power.
For Germany, this touches on fundamental questions: How secure is the energy supply without nuclear power? Are renewables alone sufficient? And what role should nuclear energy play in Europe’s neighborhood? With this motion, the AfD has thrust these debates back onto the agenda.
Get back into nuclear power and correct strategic mistakes
Jahre — Deutscher Bundestag
