“A massive danger”
Business associations are critical of the successes of the AfD and BSW
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The BSW and the AfD triumph in the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony. Business associations are sounding the alarm in view of the results. Top economists are also concerned and fear economic and social consequences.
Business associations are concerned after the successes of the AfD and BSW in the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia. “The election results from Saxony and Thuringia are a warning signal for the digital economy,” said the President of the digital association Bitkom, Ralf Wintergerst, in the evening. “Germany must remain a country that stands for cosmopolitanism and a spirit of innovation.” Neither the AfD nor the BSW represent these values. Without skilled immigration, Germany would not be able to cover its need for skilled workers. “We will not be able to operate the planned semiconductor factories in Saxony without skilled workers from abroad,” said Wintergerst. “Such top executives are free to choose where they work.”
The Association of Family Businesses expressed a similar opinion. “In Thuringia, the election result is a reckoning with the traffic lights,” said the president of the family business, Marie-Christine Ostermann, after projections see the AfD as the strongest force there.
Bitkom Association warns against backward-looking politics
“The anti-business AfD as well as the black box BSW have the biggest gains in the Thuringian state elections.” The projections for the Saxon election see the CDU ahead of the AfD. “For the family business owners, the CDU now bears responsibility for forming a new government,” said Ostermann.
The Bitkom association warned against a backward-looking policy that wants to decouple Germany from global developments in the digital economy and raise borders. This is “a massive danger for digital Germany,” warned Wintergerst. The election results must be more than just a wake-up call for politicians.
“They must be an invitation and motivation to solve problems, from the ground up,” said the Bitkom President. “We need visible and noticeable improvements: in infrastructure, in companies, in schools, in administration, in internal and external security. Many people want change.”
“This can’t bode well for the economy”
Meanwhile, top economists are also warning of economic and social consequences following the election successes of the AfD and BSW. Above all, the AfD stands for protectionism and isolation from Europe, for less immigration of skilled workers and less openness and diversity, said the President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) Marcel Fratzscher. He believes it is very likely that the election results will lead to an exodus of companies and skilled workers.
“Young, well-qualified and highly motivated citizens in particular will leave the two federal states and go to places where they experience more openness and appreciation,” said the economist. “This is likely to result in an increase in bankruptcies and an exodus of companies.”
The employer-related German Economic Institute (IW Cologne) also expressed concern. “This cannot bode well for the economy, because it needs political predictability, institutional stability and reliable framework conditions,” said IW director Michael Hüther. Since the federal level is likely to have had an influence on the election results, the challenges there must also be addressed decisively.
“One thing is clear: more social policy does not stop people from voting for populist parties,” said Hüther. “Since fears of decline and experiences of devaluation have a major influence, what is needed is a precautionary investment state rather than a post-care welfare state.”
