Cross-party calls for entrepreneurs to take a stand against the AfD
"It is therefore also up to the business community to take a clear stance here," Faeser demanded. She expects this "also and especially from employers who employ tens of thousands of people, many of whom have a history of migration".
The Union also expects clear words from the business community. "It is in the vested interest of business and SMEs to take a public stance," said Gitta Connemann, Federal Chairwoman of the CDU and CSU's Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion (MIT), in an interview with Handelsblatt. The CDU politician warned that the AfD stands for "instability, isolation and national special paths".
"The silence in the control centers of the German economy shows a frightening ignorance of history," said Christian Bäumler, deputy head of the employee representatives in the CDU/CSU, to theHandelsblatt. CSU General Secretary Martin Huber warned: "Every entrepreneur, every employee must be clear: The AfD is damaging Germany." Highly qualified skilled workers from abroad "do 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 voices when foreign skilled workers are discriminated against, insulted or even attacked", she told Handelsblatt.
The First Parliamentary Secretary 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 Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai advised business representatives to "clearly identify the dangers posed by the AfD". The party poses a "considerable risk" to the success of the German economy.
Handelsblatt reported on Thursday that dairy entrepreneur Theo Müller had confirmed contacts with the AfD for the first time. He said that he had already met AfD leader Alice Weidel several times and was planning another meeting at the end of the year, whereby his interest was in the program of Weidel's party as well as "her personal view on current politics".
The AfD is being monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in several federal states. In Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, the party is classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist.
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- Faeser, as the SPD leader, urged entrepreneurs to publicly oppose the AfD's ideologies, especially those who employ a large number of migrant workers.
- Connemann, the CDU's Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion leader, agreed with Faeser, stating that businesses and SMEs have a vested interest in opposing the AfD.
- The CSU's General Secretary, Martin Huber, also joined the call, warning entrepreneurs and employees about the potential damage the AfD could cause to Germany.
- Bäumler, the deputy head of the CDU/CSU employee representatives, criticized the business community's silence in the face of the AfD, calling it an alarming disregard for history.
- Esken, the SPD's leader, urged entrepreneurs and business associations to stand against racism, xenophobia, and exclusion, especially when foreign skilled workers are discriminated against.
- The Green Party's First Parliamentary Secretary, Irene Mihalic, emphasized the importance of all relevant forces in society taking a stand against enemies of the constitution.
- Djir-Sarai, the FDP's Secretary General, advised business representatives to identify the dangers posed by the AfD and its potential harm to the German economy's success.
- Handelsblatt reported that dairy entrepreneur Theo Müller confirmed his past meetings with AfD leader Alice Weidel and planned another meeting, sparking controversy over his engagement with the party.
- Despite controversies, the AfD is currently under observation by several federal states' Office for the Protection of the Constitution due to its classification as a confirmed right-wing extremist in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.
Source: www.stern.de
