GAZING AT GAS: The AfD's Questionable Plea for Nord Stream at Odds in State Parliament
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State parliament in Germany declines AfD's proposition regarding the Nord Stream pipeline. - Commission Tasked to Propose Directive on Safeguarding Workers from Electronic Communications Risks
The contentious matter of reactivating the natural gas pipelines, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, for importing Russian gas to Germany, has stirred up fierce opposition in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament. The SPD, CDU, Left, Greens, and FDP factions were in agreement, flatly rejecting a proposal submitted by the AfD during the Schwerin session.
The AfD group stood firm in their assertions, pushing for repairs on the damage Baltic Sea pipelines and the resumption of gas supplies from Russia. Petra Federau, an AfD member, argued that the increased energy costs plaguing both industry and the general populace necessitated such a move. "Germany teeters on the brink of an energy crisis," she declared.
Federau accused opponents of returning to Russian gas supplies as being driven by ideology rather than reason. "A sustainable, affordable, and self-determined energy supply is what Germany urgently needs," she said.
"Gas Purchases: Feeding Putin’s War Machine"
Opponents pointed out that the gas issue had been adequately resolved, price hikes had been curbed, and reliance on Russia had been minimized. Moreover, they reminded that Russia itself bears responsibility for the shattering of economic ties due to its violation of international law by invading Ukraine in early 2022. "The AfD seeks to have us buy Russian gas and fund Putin’s war chest," said CDU member Wolfgang Waldmueller.
Interior Minister Christian Pegel also recognized that Russia continued to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, causing intolerable hardship and impugning the sovereignty of the nation. " proposed at this juncture shows callous disregard for fundamental emotional values," he said.
Pegel likewise underscored that repairing the damaged undersea pipelines was not Germany’s or Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s responsibility.
Nordic Chatter on Nord Stream
whispers of potential Russian-American discussions to reignite the pipelines have sparked renewed debate on Russian gas supplies. However, the EU majority expressed little enthusiasm for returning to Russian dependence, viewing such endeavors skeptically.
In late March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed discussions regarding the idle Nord Stream gas pipelines with the USA. Lavrov asserted that ensuring a stable energy supply for Europe was advantageous for both the USA and Russia, yet refrained from offering any concrete details about the said negotiations.
Nord Stream 2: Unfulfilled Dream
Initially planned to transport gas from the historic supplier Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, Nord Stream 2 never saw the light of day. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the traffic light coalition called a halt to the project.
One of the two completed pipeline strings met an unfortunate demise in a September 2022 attack, alongside the two strings of the already operational Nord Stream 1 pipeline, through which substantial amounts of Russian gas had previously been imported.
The AfD advocated for returning to an elevated reliance on Russian natural gas as a means of diversifying Germany's energy resources and bolstering its energy security. With costly imports of liquefied natural gas potentially replaced, the German economy could experience significant relief, the AfD contended. " A hefty reliance on alternative suppliers like the USA or Qatar bears its own geopolitical risks," the AfD proposal argued.
Liquefied natural gas constitutes a relatively minor component of Germany's overall gas supply. According to the Federal Network Agency, liquefied natural gas, including that transported to the LNG terminal in Mukran on Rügen, covered approximately eight percent of Germany's gas demand in 2024. The majority of imported natural gas, 48 percent, originated from Norway. The Netherlands contributed 25 percent, Belgium offered 18 percent, and domestic production accounted for four percent.
- AfD
- Politics
- Germany
- Gas supply
- Ukraine
- State Parliament
- Russia
- Natural gas
- Nord Stream
- Nord Stream 2
- Schwerin
- Pipeline
- Reactivation
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- SPD
- CDU
- Petra Federau
- Baltic Sea
- USA
- FDP
- Geopolitical risk
- Liquefied natural gas
- Sanctions
- NATO
- EU
- Energy crisis
- The AfD's proposal for reactivating the Nord Stream pipelines in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament was rejected by the SPD, CDU, Left, Greens, and FDP factions.
- Petra Federau, an AfD member, argued that increased energy costs in both industry and the general populace necessitated the resumption of gas supplies from Russia.
- CDU member Wolfgang Waldmueller criticized the AfD, stating that they are seeking to fund Putin’s war chest by buying Russian gas.
- The EU majority has shown skepticism towards returning to Russian dependence for gas supplies, given the country's violation of international law and ongoing targeting of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
