Merkele government was played by Kremlin. The previous chancellor, Gerhard Schröder actively lobbied for Russia and had(has?) seats in Russian state-owned companies.
She (and Schroeder) wasn't some puppet put there by Putin, the German people voted for her, several times over actually. It's their fault and their responsibility for the choices they made. That's how democracy works.
Next time choose your leaders more wisely, but sadly, I feel like no lessons have been learned in Germany and the voters will double down on their flawed ideology over reality.
Also, there is no choice in political parties with those issues. After Merkel went back on her promise to strengthen nuclear and changed her mind, there was no party left supporting nuclear power in Germany. The only option one has there is to vote for the far-right AfD (10-15%, shunned by all coalitions, so basically a wasted vote if not >40%) or the capitalist-liberal FDP (5-10%, currently part of the coalition in power, but too small to make a difference).
So no matter what you vote for, it won't change anything.
Do Germans vote for measures/provisions? In US voting for positions is only half, if not less, of the total ballot. The most interesting part is measures and provisions.
BUT, it's only state and municipal provisions, there's no voting for nation-wide issues.
The only country I know where there's a way to vote for particular issues is Switzerland.
