A narrow majority of Germans favor reviving nuclear power, according to new survey data that could influence energy policy discussions amid ongoing coalition negotiations.

The poll, conducted by market research institute Innofact for comparison portal Verivox, shows 55% of Germans support a return to nuclear energy generation, while 36% oppose it and 9% remain undecided.

Support for nuclear power is markedly higher among men at 62%, compared to only 47% among women, according to the survey.

“It is very unlikely that the nuclear power plants that were shut down two years ago will be put back on the grid, given the negative attitude of the power plant operators,” said Thorsten Storck, energy expert at Verivox.

Regional variations are significant, with support reaching 61% in eastern Germany and 59% in southern regions, while dropping to 49% in western areas and 51% in northern Germany.

The survey revealed that 32% of respondents support building entirely new nuclear facilities, while 22% believe only recently decommissioned plants should be reactivated.

Germany completed its nuclear phaseout in April 2023 when its final three plants were disconnected from the grid, following a policy initiated after Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster.

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The CDU/CSU bloc, expected to lead the next government under Friedrich Merz, has signaled interest in revisiting the possibility of reopening recently closed nuclear plants.

Meanwhile, renewable energy enjoys even broader support, with 57% of Germans favoring continued heavy investment in expanding clean energy sources. Only 17% oppose this direction.

“Apparently, for many, maintaining nuclear power and expanding renewable energies are not a contradiction. While the nuclear phase-out is polarizing even more, there is greater agreement on the expansion of renewable energies,” Storck added.

The nationwide representative survey questioned 1,007 people aged 18-79 in March 2025, drawing participants from an ISO-certified online panel with approximately 500,000 members.

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