Robert Habeck: The bizarre search for the atomic bomb

For all we know, Robert Habeck is sitting at the curved table in the middle of the room, practically on the presentation plate for everyone present. The Green man’s face is a little pale on Thursday morning, but it’s easy to recognize him as Robert Habeck. The nameplate in front of him also leaves no room for doubt: “Dr. Habeck”.

But today, in the large meeting room 4900 of the Paul-Löbe-Haus, everything is taken very closely, meticulously examined and critically questioned. After all, Robert Habeck is sitting here as a witness. The first question in his questioning is: What is this man’s profession?

“politician”says Robert Christoph Habeck, 55, living in Flensburg, for the record. “In this case: minister”adds the chairman of the committee, CDU MP Stefan Heck. Minister is one “Temporary task”not a job, Habeck contradicts with a slightly pompous tone. “But whatever.” Strictly speaking, the survey hasn’t officially begun yet, but the tone for the following hours has been set.

Because “doesn’t matter” There is nothing at all in the committee investigating the nuclear life extension, not now, in the middle of the election campaign. While the normal operations of the Bundestag have largely come to a standstill, six weeks before the election every syllable is being put to the test again, documents, memos and emails are being reviewed with an attention to detail, as if it were about the future of the planet. A contradiction or a scandal could arise as a result of the joint text exegesis. In any case, some dynamic that can be exploited in the election campaign. Steffi Lemke, the Green Federal Environment Minister, was questioned for seven hours the day before, more on that later.

But what exactly is this detective game for?

The opposition, especially the CDU/CSU, has been suspicious for months. Essentially, the question is whether the continued operation of the last three remaining nuclear reactors was examined with an open mind after the Russian war of aggression – or whether the Green Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Environment stuck to the nuclear phase-out for ideological reasons. No irrelevant side note: The Union, which initiated the committee, would have liked to stick to nuclear energy.

The investigative committee, which can draw on around 351,000 internal documents, has been questioning witnesses since October. From the Union’s perspective, number 39 is the key figure: Habeck. The Green Economics Minister should be convicted of bias. This is strange because the committee chairman Stefan Heck from the CDU apparently no longer needs to be convinced of the opposite. Shortly before the meeting, surrounded by numerous cameras and microphones, he interjects to the witness “big deception” before and even ahead of time that there was never an open-ended test.

And so, as you wait for hours in the visitors’ gallery, the question arises: How openly does the committee examine whether the continued operation of the nuclear power plant was examined openly?

The investigations have not yet revealed any groundbreaking findings, not even a small scandal. But time is gradually running out for all those who want to make political capital at Habeck’s expense. Due to the early federal election, the committee also has to come to an early conclusion. It’s an election campaign. And actually nobody has time for this show, that’s the absurdity. Most of those present are fighting for re-election, and the meeting takes them away from their campaigns.

Nuclear power, yes or no? An old campaign hit, reissued here. Question session after question session. In between, the MPs leave the hall again and again to grab a fruit salad or a sandwich from a small cafeteria cart in front of the door. A little nourishment for the nerves. Phone calls are made, news is checked, and one’s own election campaign must not be completely overlooked, even during the meeting. Who will last longer and who will wear down first? It’s about the sovereignty of interpretation, but also about the more voluptuous seat flesh.

Habeck therefore accepts the committee chairman’s offer to make an opening statement without resistance. He takes 40 minutes to do this, reading sheet by sheet, as he would one “serious political mistake” the previous Union-led government – ​​the high dependence on Russian gas – was ironed out. That there was no ideological predetermination on the kiln question. And continued operation would have been irresponsible for cost and safety reasons. A lot to expect. Heck, the CDU committee chairman, bravely rests his head on his fist during the presentation.

The fronts in meeting room 4900 are clear: the committee members from the SPD and Greens like to ask questions that make the economics minister or the federal government shine, while the CDU, CSU, FDP and AfD focus primarily on potential contradictions and wrong decisions. “Fog candle throw” Konstantin von Notz, the chairman of the Green Party, grumbles sourly into the microphone at one point.

The questions are characterized by a sometimes bizarre detail, which often leads to strange skirmishes. For example, the committee chairman wants to know why Habeck has an internal note “splendid” as stated in an email. Habeck replies that he has to read it again. “I obviously liked it.” Giggles in the public gallery.

FDP chairman Frank Schäffler, completely unsuspected of being a fan of the economics minister, first wants to know how Habeck prepared for the meeting this Thursday. Is Habeck now accidentally letting on that he has no idea about his craft? Did his experts first have to bring him into the picture? Schäffler already saw the Green Party’s heating law “an atomic bomb” for the country. Is the nuclear bomb now coming in terms of term extension? “I had a little more time today”answers Habeck. “I cleaned my apartment, listened to music, showered and got dressed.”

Gaining knowledge? It’s going ok. News? At least for gourmets. Novices in nuclear, energy and climate issues often visit the snack cart in front of the meeting room out of sheer helplessness.

During the course of the questioning, Habeck is handed numerous documents and memos, and at some point the minister is framed by countless DIN A4 pages. And increasingly annoyed by one or the other “semantic subtlety”. The Union in particular takes it very seriously. The day before this had led to a small scandal.

When Habeck’s cabinet colleague Steffi Lemke, the Green Environment Minister, was questioned, the meeting was briefly interrupted due to a disagreement among the committee members. After 20 minutes, onlookers and press representatives were allowed back into the meeting room. “Well, we’re back on the air”committee chairman Heck rejoiced, we have one “good solution” found. The solution, basically: let each other finish.

After six (of a total of seven) hours of questioning, the nerves were obviously frayed. CDU man Dietrich Monstadt and Maren Klein, a lawyer from the Ministry of the Environment, argued again and again about the correct naming of quotation points. Monstadt wanted to know why the minister used the term in a document “Nuclear power” instead of “Nuclear power” wanted. Semantic quibbles – Habeck would probably say.

Habeck’s questioning also lasted until Thursday evening, only interrupted by short breaks. “As far as I’m concerned, it can continue” is Habeck’s slogan. At 6 p.m., the aggressive economics minister also has to pour himself a fresh cola and get some caffeine.

At this point, the SPD side has long since withdrawn from the question and answer session, possibly to save energy: After Habeck, one more witness is questioned, after which the committee’s questioning ends and is poured into a kind of final report.

Witness number 40: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.