Now that Iran is staying by its principles, the Germans are beginning to wonder if nuclear power mightn't be a bad idea after all. It was one of the few issues that unified the grand coalition, who in turned believed it was one of the few things the German public agreed on, but now serious people are doing their best to start an open debate on the subject.

Since Chernobyl, which left some deep psychological scars on the German nation - it had the same apocalyptic impact that the Cuban missile crisis had on the US - nuclear power has had a Faustian fear hanging over it. It was the demon we daren't summon, however low our carbon resources get, and the Green party's hold on government in recent times always consolidated that fear. But now there's an unmistakable shift in German public opinion, which the Iranian crisis is bringing to a head. This Süddeutsche Zeitung opinion poll asks the relevant questions.