“Nuclear energy must have a future”
FDP general secretary describes nuclear shutdown as a mistake
4/22/2023 3:51 p.m
Germany’s nuclear phase-out was completed a few days ago. FDP General Secretary Djir-Sarai considers the step a mistake. In his speech at the party conference in Berlin, the liberal calls for a future for nuclear energy.
At the federal party conference of the FDP, Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai distanced himself from the positions of the government partners in the traffic light coalition. In his speech to the delegates in Berlin, Djir-Sarai described the phase-out of nuclear energy as a “strategic mistake”. “Nuclear energy must have a future in Germany even after the exit,” he said. The FDP is committed to further research and the use of technologies such as nuclear fusion and nuclear fission.
In addition, his party will resist all considerations of higher tax burdens, said Djir-Sarai. “Anyone who continues to burden small and medium-sized businesses weakens the competitiveness of our entire country.” The “centre of this country” should “not just be a source of income for politicians’ dreams of distribution,” he said.
As the governing party, the FDP will advocate a policy that is pro-business and pro-growth, said the Secretary General. The federal party conference should send a message to the economy: “We are at your side and we want to shape our country with you and make Germany fit for the future,” said Djir-Sarai. “Only growth, innovation and openness to technology ensure that we can master the challenges.”
Djir-Sarai rejected growth-critical political models. Such models are a topic for “left-green chair circles”, but for the FDP “not a model for the future”. At the same time, he emphasized: “Climate protection is extremely important for us as a party.” But the FDP wants “a climate protection policy that takes people with it instead of patronizing them”.
“Prosperity in Germany was only distributed for too long”
At the party conference, Djir-Sarai tabled a leading proposal from the federal executive committee that focuses on classic liberal issues from economic and financial policy: strengthening innovation, growth and competitiveness, and the clear rejection of tax increases. “For too long, prosperity in Germany was only distributed without asking where it came from or how we can increase the prosperity of people and society,” says the draft resolution.
The lead motion contains a number of proposals whose implementation at government level is likely to meet resistance from the Greens in particular – such as the demand for an expansion of genetic engineering in food production, the approval of shale gas extraction in Germany, the accelerated expansion of the road network and further research of nuclear energy.
Other motions by the Federal Executive Committee, which the party conference is scheduled to debate by Sunday, call for facilitating the immigration of skilled workers, making the Bundeswehr more attractive, consolidating budgetary policy and fighting child poverty.
Djir-Sarai was confirmed in office on Friday evening by the delegates at the party congress with 76 percent. The entire party leadership was re-elected. Party leader Christian Lindner, who has been in office since 2013, received 88 percent for another two-year term.