The Green Party in Sweden has been facing internal divisions over its stance on nuclear power ahead of an upcoming congress in Örebro. Grön ungdom, the party’s youth association, has been campaigning for the party to reconsider its opposition to existing nuclear power.
The motion put forward by Grön ungdom argues that a rapid phase-out of nuclear power would hinder the possibility of exporting electricity, delay the end date of European dependence on fossil fuels, and ultimately increase emissions. However, the party board rejected Grön ungdom’s motion and proposed an amendment of its own.
The party’s amendment states that the Green Party should not work for a political decision to shut down existing reactors, but rather let the market phase out nuclear power. The decision was voted for with a clear majority at the congress, signifying a shift in the party’s stance on nuclear power.
Leon Mc Manus, spokesperson for Grön ungdom, views the decision as a win but emphasizes that the youth association is still very much against nuclear power. He believes that the party’s proposal has been misinterpreted, and stresses that politics should not dictate when a reactor should be taken out of service, but rather it should be the market’s decision.
The internal debate within the Green Party comes at a crucial time, as the opposition’s victory in the next election could potentially complicate government negotiations with the Social Democrats, given the Green Party’s opposition to nuclear power.
In response to the internal divisions, the new spokesperson for the Green Party, Daniel Helldén, stated that there will not be new nuclear power. However, when asked if MPs can sit in a government that says yes to new nuclear power, he did not provide a definitive answer. Märta Stenevi, another party member, emphasized that nuclear power is not a way forward and expressed disappointment with the government’s stance on the matter.
The internal disagreement within the Green Party on the issue of nuclear power highlights the complexity of the energy debate in Sweden and the challenges of balancing environmental concerns with energy needs.