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German parliament approves nuclear shutdown

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[June 30, 2011]  BERLIN (AP) -- German lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved the government's plan for the country to shut down all its nuclear power plants by the end of 2022.

HardwareParliament's lower house voted 513-79, with eight abstentions, for the shutdown plan in Europe's biggest economy. Most of the opposition voted in favor.

Thursday's decision sets Germany on the road to an ambitious build-up of renewable energy.

Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen tells lawmakers: "This will be good for our country, because we all stand together. So let's get to work."

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government performed an about-face after Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant was ravaged by an earthquake and tsunami in March.

Only last year, it had decided to extend the life span of Germany's 17 nuclear reactors.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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