Democracy in the Nuclear Age

My friend, Peter, raises an interesting question with regard to our increasingly interconnected world.

An interesting development over the weekend in Germany, where the reigning CDU (Christian Democratic Party) lost a state election in Baden-Wuerttemberg, my home state, and is out of government for the first time since after the war. Reason for loss can mainly be tied to the Japan disaster with the nuclear power plants.

Germany, that is almost totally dependant on energy supply from outside, generates 20 % of its power in nuclear energy plants. The authorization to run these plants expired early in 2011, but the Federal government extended it. Following the Japanese event, the government announced a temporary stop, but this was interpreted by the voters as a trick to pass the election in Baden Wuerttemberg, where discussion over atomic energy ruled the controversy. However, the CDU lost and the Green Party, which is for total abolishment of atomic energy, won the election.

Now of course this becomes a huge issue for the federal government and alternative energy sources are difficult to substantiate within a short time frame. Difficult decision also as France, that gets 80% of energy from atomic energy, and Switzerland have all their nuclear power plants close to the German border. What is the benefit should Germany stop producing nuclear energy if our neighbors continue to operate their plants and how protected are we if something happens there?

I would assume that similar controversy unfolds all over the world and gas and oil will increase in demand and prices will skyrocket and with that, energy prices will go one way, up, up, up. Democracy has its shortcomings, not just advantages.