The German Nuclear Phase-Out After Fukushima: A Peculiar Path or an Example for Others?

The Fukushima catastrophe dramatically changed the political discourse about nuclear energy in Germany. The use of nuclear energy, long a hotly disputed topic inside and outside the German parliamentary system, is now opposed by an over-arching crossparty alliance. On 1 July 2011, the German parliament passed a multitude of decisions to regulate a nuclear phase-out and prepare Germany, one of the world's biggest economies, for the period after nuclear power. According to the new law, the last German nuclear power plant will go offline and shut down in 2022. The announcement and decision to phase out the use of nuclear power in Germany caused mixed responses worldwide, ranging from harsh criticism to understanding and support. Now, Germany has become the global laboratory for other governments to see if the decision leads to economic stagnation or pays off and causes another economic boom.