“Indications show that consumption will increase so much, we will need an exception period or a delay anyway. If these nuclear plants could close, I would say ‘great’. We can’t have a debate on nuclear energy and a new generation of nuclear power plants because that doesn’t appear to suit the people demonstrating in the streets. I think everything has to be open to discussion”, Mr De Crem said.
His CD&V party wants Belgium to stop using nuclear energy by 2025. The party president Wouter Beke mentioned it again last week.
Pieter De Crem thinks it is bound to fail. He calls himself a “eco-realist” and argues energy transitions should not affect those that earn less.
The concept of eco-realism is regularly used by the N-VA, but the minister says it is in keeping with Flemish nationalists.
A complete stop to using nuclear power by 2025 was written into law in 2003. It was confirmed in 2015 and more recently by the Michel government in the spring.
Sarah Johansson
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