Intimidating for professionals
Entrepreneurs should position themselves against the AfD
December 2, 2023, 7:44 a.m
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Entrepreneur Theo Müller confirms contacts with the AfD. This has led several politicians to remind companies that foreign skilled workers should avoid right-wing extremist environments. A clear positioning is expected.
The pressure on business and business is growing across all parties to take a clear position against the right-wing extremist AfD. “The climate of division and resentment that the AfD is fomenting scares off highly qualified workers and skilled workers from abroad,” said Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser to the “Handelsblatt”. If this remains unchallenged, there will be a further “creeping normalization” of right-wing populist and right-wing extremist positions.
“It is therefore also a matter for business to take a clear stance here,” demanded the SPD politician. She expects this “also and especially from employers who employ tens of thousands of people, many of whom have a migration background.”
The Union also expects clear words from business. “It is in the very best interest of business and small and medium-sized businesses to take a public stance,” said Gitta Connemann, federal chairwoman of the CDU and CSU’s Small and Medium-Sized Business Union (MIT), to the newspaper. The AfD stands for “instability, isolation and special national paths,” warned the CDU politician.
“Terrifying historical oblivion”
“The silence in the control centers of the German economy shows a frightening forgetfulness of history,” said the deputy head of the employee representatives in the Union (CDA), Christian Bäumler, to the “Handelsblatt”. CSU General Secretary Martin Huber warned: “It must be clear to every entrepreneur and every employee: the AfD is damaging Germany.” Highly qualified specialists from abroad “did not want to work where the AfD is strong”.
SPD leader Saskia Esken called on entrepreneurs and business associations to “take a clear stance against racism, xenophobia and exclusion.” They should “raise their voice when foreign skilled workers are discriminated against, insulted or even attacked,” she told the “Handelsblatt”.
The first parliamentary managing director of the Green parliamentary group, Irene Mihalic, said: “Especially in times like these, it is of the utmost importance that all relevant forces in society take a clear stance against enemies of the constitution.” FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai advised business representatives to “clearly identify the dangers posed by the AfD.” The party poses a “significant risk” to the success of the German economy.
The “Handelsblatt” reported on Thursday that dairy entrepreneur Theo Müller had confirmed contacts with the AfD for the first time. He said he had already met AfD leader Alice Weidel several times and was planning another meeting at the end of the year, with his interest in the program of Weidel’s party and “her personal view on current politics.”
The AfD is monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in several federal states. In Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, the party is classified as definitely right-wing extremist.