German atomic exit hurts Merkel, boosts Greens: poll

[kristopher]

German atomic exit hurts Merkel, boosts Greens: poll

By Stephen Brown

BERLIN | Wed Jun 8, 2011 7:42am EDT

(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's nuclear exit strategy is cutting into popular support for her conservatives, alienating coalition partners and boosting Greens in the opposition, a new opinion poll showed on Wednesday.

The Forsa survey had the anti-nuclear Greens surging ahead to 27 percent, giving them and their Social Democrat (SPD) allies a combined 49 percent versus just 35 percent for Germany's ruling Christian Democrat-Free Democrat coalition.

Merkel's conservatives have dropped two to three points to 30 percent in recent weeks, according to Forsa and other polls, coinciding with her end of May decision to scrap all nuclear generators by 2022, a U-turn spurred by Japan's nuclear crisis.

Some analysts see Merkel's change of heart on nuclear power -- as recently as late last year she wanted the lifespan of the oldest of Germany's 17 nuclear plants extended, saying they were safe -- as preparation for a future alliance with the Greens.

The Free Democrats, her current junior coalition partner...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/08/us-germany-coalition-idUSTRE75725Q20110608


In energy policy, the FDP calls for a combination of nuclear, coal, oil and gas and renewable energy for electricity production. The phasing out of nuclear power is seen critically by the FDP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Democratic_Party_(Germany)