Comparison of Nuclear Phase-outs in Germany in 2002 and 2011

The work deals with the two German nuclear power phase-out plans (ie. Atomausstieg) conducted in 2002 and 2011. The aim is to compare the nuclear policies of the red-green (governed 1998-2005) and the black-yellow coalition (governed 2009-2013) in relation to the abandonment of nuclear power as an energy source and to find differences in the aspects of policies that these governments implemented. Comparison of elected political decisions of the government is examined on the basis of several criteria like the method which have been the applied on the abandonment of nuclear energy, the speed of the phase-out, the motivation for this step and short-term impacts of governmental policies in the field of nuclear energy on the structure of electricity production in Germany. In this work it was found that despite some differences, such as (non)cooperation with energy concerns, the motivation for the nuclear power phase-out, the speed of switching off of the nuclear power plants, or the legal implications, final form of a phase-out done by the black-yellow coalition is in its basic essence very similar to the original intention. This can be explained by Angela Merkel's emphasis on pragmatic way of conducting politics that leads to a prolonged centrist position and popular support of her party CDU/CSU.