In recent months, more and more corporate managers in Germany have come forward to warn of the strengthening of the far-right, and in particular, about the AfD. 

The president of Germany’s most powerful business association – the Federation of German Industries (BDI) – that represents 100,000 companies – sees Germany as a prime location for businesses that are being put in danger by right-wing extremists.

Even if the BDI doesn’t like everything that comes from the EU, it still believes that – unlike the staunchly nationalistic AfD – the EU ensures Germany’s economic prosperity. 

The ultra-nationalistic ideology of the AfD is the reason as to why the BDI is deeply concerned about an increase in power of far-right populists and extremists.

The BDI is not just nervous. It is seriously worried. Public polls and the election results – including the EU parliament’s election – favouring the AfD has given the BDI every reason to be remarkably unsettled. 

For German industry, there is a real danger that the enemies of democracy will continue to grow and will gain in influence. For example, the CEO of Infineon (59,000 employees) sees democracy and prosperity in danger.

The German industry is convinced that if the contemptible demands of the far-right party becomes a  reality – such as Germany’s withdrawal from the EU – this will have significant and very negative consequences for Germany, for businesses, as well as the prosperity of all. 

In the past, business representatives and CEOs kept a low profile on politics. In 2024, such restraints have disappeared. This is because the far-right’s scourge has become too great. 

German businesses would be troubled when the cost of doing business in Europe after a Dexit – Germany’s exit from Europe increase. This would disadvantage Germany. 

German industry is also concerned that Germany’s welfare state – that has been a security anchor against unforeseeable risks over the course of people’s lives – is under threat from the AfD.

The German industry views German capitalism and Germany’s state institutions as working well. However, anti-democratic mini-parties or “splinter party” like the AfD still propagate confusing array of anti-democratic ideologies, anti-state institutions, and EU-decoupling fantasies. 

In past months, this did not matter much because of their status as being an insignificant miniature party. 

In recent weeks, this has changed fundamentally. Today, the AfD has mutated into a 16%-18% party – 16% in the EU election. And worse, it has 31% of voter support – becoming the strongest political party in the former East-Germany state of Saxony. 

No longer can German capital, CEOs, corporate leaders, and business managers see the AfD as a foolish but insignificant mini party because the AfD increased in voter popularity from roughly 10% to about 20% in recent months. 

Worse, the AfD has achieved double-digit election results and is ahead in some of Germany’s states. This is what has changed most dramatically for German industry as the AfD is used to be seen as a small and unimportant party. 

Today, it is Germany’s second most powerful political party ranking behind the conservative CDU in the recent EU election. 

As a consequence of the AfD’s rise to a powerful political force, German industry believes it needs to show a clear position against the AfD. Their position carries the colours of Europe and of democracy. 

For German industry, the question is clear: do we want to continue the successful development of Germany in an open Europe or do we want to close ourselves off. The German industry also knows that Germany’s exit from Europe could cost a whopping €690bn.

This is no longer simply a matter of political taste. Germany would be much worse off economically without the EU. And German industry can show this with hard facts – just think about Brexit. (£400 or $508.- per UK household). Given all that, The BDI is sure, 

“everything would be worse without Europe”

Beyond business and commerce, German industry argues that they do not want to live in a society in which children with disabilities are not allowed to go to regular schools. 

However, Thuringia’s AfD Führer – Björn Höcke – wants exactly that. The German industry also rejects the AfD’s plan that the sound of your surname decides whether one belongs here or not.

After decades of working with the EU, German industry knows that Germany has done well with the EU. Small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany sell 70% of their exports inside the EU. 

European unification – including the single market – has created additional values for all members. For German industry, this is not a zero-sum game. And it is not about what one member state wins and what another one loses.

In the end, there is no “one” single company that benefits – everyone benefits. Europe’s financial aid packages also contribute to the success of Europe. It does this, for example, through the EU’s support for structurally weak regions. 

Even in Germany, many state investments in infrastructure, social affairs, and agriculture would not be feasible without the assistance from Brussels, for example.

The German industry is convinced that many people appreciate the advantages of being a member the EU such as traveling without border controls and no more currency exchanges, thanks to the Euro – even though, at times, there is a rather annoyed regulatory frenzy coming from the EU. 

No one is saying that the EU is perfect. Europe can and must improve. This is a constant topic for discussion. But – and this is important for German bosses – this occurs within a constructive-democratic framework. 

Within this framework, corporate bosses believe that a lot of things must get better with the EU. On the other hand, things would be worse without the EU. 

For example, Europe’s industrial competitiveness is under pressure. Europe is also in danger to fall behind in the area of innovations and competition. A third issue is Germany’s labour shortage. In other words, Germany needs more immigration – not less.

Meanwhile, there have been rather unusually noisy rallies against Germany’s far-right and against the AfD. Many business representatives are expressing their firm opposition to that party. 

Traditionally, most German businesspeople tended to hold back with direct recommendations for elections. Now, it’s different. German businesses are getting involved – even into elections. 

For example, Germany’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) founded in 1861 which also represents German businesses abroad, has dared to get involved. 

In April, the DIHK has even decided to change its own logo. Now, a “27% of us” appears in its logo. The number “27%” corresponds to the proportion of people with a migrant background in Germany’s working population. 

In other words, more than a quarter of all people employed in Germany have a migration background. These are about twelve million people. 

Despite the AfD’s plan to forcefully deport them, they contribute to the prosperity of the country and German businesses know that they cannot thrive without them. 

More than 500 companies and 60 local chambers of commerce have joined the DIHK’s campaign – including well-known names such as Germany’s most widely known jam manufacturer Schwartauer Werke and the Kneipp Group, known for body care and naturopathy. There are also the metallurgical plants Dillinger and Saarstahl, for example. 

Worse for the nationalistic AfD, German employers, industry, large corporations, medium-sized companies, and family businesses call for cosmopolitanism – something Germany’s far-right hates. 

Germany’s businesses warn against electing the AfD. There have always been appeals from the business community to defend democratic values, diversity and tolerance. 

But when it comes to the politically delicate issue of elections, business representatives are usually more reserved. In general, businesspeople like to connect with all democratic parties. 

This is no different today. Representatives of business associations and company managers are positioning themselves decidedly against the neofascist AfD. And they do this even if it comes at a price. Reinhold Würth has experienced this. 

Already in March, the billionaire advised his 87,000 employees – through a personal letter – not to vote for the AfD. He was one of the first entrepreneurs to do so. 

It has been suggested that his group lost about €1.5 million [$1.62 million] in sales because of this. Würth can get over this. He argues, that “we probably received significantly more orders out of sympathy than we lost”.

Meanwhile, the president of Germany’s powerful chemical industry argues that “there is an awful lot at stake. That is why, especially in these times of crises, we are committed to the European elections and are promoting a strong Europe among our employees”. 

In the end, Germany in 2024 is not like Germany in 1933 when German industry massively supported Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party. In 2024, this is not the case. 

Instead, German industry has raised its powerful voice against the neofascist AfD and for democracy. Perhaps German corporations have – finally – understood that it is better to sell things to its European customer than to kill them. 

As a distant acquaintance once said, what’s to be done? What German industry and trade unions could do is this. In the case of an AfD government, corporate Germany could close down 100,000 businesses (BDI) and trade unions could declare a general strike. Unlike in 1933, this would stop the far-right AfD in its tracks.

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