No, antinuclear sentiment in Germany runs much deeper - but if anything, we were scared after Chernobyl. The German antinuclear movement started as a local asp

No, antinuclear sentiment in Germany runs much deeper - but if anything, we were scared after Chernobyl. The German antinuclear movement started as a local aspect of the 68s civil rights and environmental movements. Then, when Chernobyl hit, West Germany enacted restrictions in daily life to cope with the risk of radioactive fallout and contamination. The daily experience of many Germans was probably not too dissimilar from the Covid time. (The restrictions were less severe but the mood was similarly apocalyptic) This experience made a nuclear-free Germany an absolute core part of the progressive movement here. It's part of the founding story of the Greens. Other flashpoints were plans for "eternal storage" facilities for nuclear waste. The conflict around the Gorleben facility was going on between government and local population for several decades and had given rise to entire protest communities. It's a partisan topic like maybe abortion in the US. The only aspect of Merkel's decision that was surprising was that she did it. She seemingly switched political sides and enacted several parts of the progressive agenda (also gay marriage and "wir schaffen das" - the famously liberal stance on refugees) - as head of the conservative party. Her party and voting base were not happy with that...