Industry - BDI: AfD is harmful to the future of our country
With a view to the upcoming state elections in several eastern German states, industry president Siegfried Russwurm has warned against AfD successes. "A political movement that invokes the turn back to nationalism is harmful for this country: for the economy and for Germany's reputation and success in a global context," Russwurm told the Funke media group newspapers.
"We would do well to publicly oppose the AfD's statements: To say clearly that voting for them is not a harmless protest, but a party that is harmful to the future of our country and all of us."
"Climate of hatred, polarization and exclusion"
The President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) argued that Germany thrives on openness to the world and international trade "probably more than almost any other major country in the world". He called for "a social debate, a social movement to show people the consequences". The AfD is "bad for this country, also because it is fuelling a climate of hatred, polarization and exclusion".
The state parliaments in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg will be newly elected next fall. The AfD has recently been ahead in the polls in all three states. The AfD state association in Saxony was recently classified by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization, while the AfD in Thuringia has been classified as such for some time.
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- Siegfried Russwurm, the president of the Industry Association in Germany (BDI), expressed concerns about the potential success of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in upcoming state elections in Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony.
- In an interview with Funke Media Group newspapers, Russwurm strongly condemned the AfD, stating that their ideology, which promotes nationalism, is harmful to the economy and Germany's global reputation.
- Russwurm argued that Germany benefits significantly from international trade and global openness, and he warned that the AfD's presence in politics could fuel a climate of hatred, polarization, and exclusion.
- The upcoming state elections in Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony are expected to result in new state parliaments, with the AfD currently leading in polls in all three regions.
- The AfD State Association in Saxony was recently classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, while the AfD in Thuringia has held that classification for some time.
- Industry organizations and political parties across Germany have a responsibility to publicly oppose the AfD's divisive rhetoric, Russwurm argued, and to make clear that voting for the party is harmful to the future of the country and its people.
- The presence of the AfD in the political landscape of Germany, particularly in the eastern states, raises important questions about the country's commitment to openness, tolerance, and democracy, and the impact that far-right ideologies may have on the country's future.
Source: www.stern.de
