The Authority has been tasked with putting forward a suggestion for a mandate that aims to safeguard employees from hazards stemming from radiation exposure of an ionizing nature.
The initiative advocates for democratic principles and opposes populism and discrimination. Höcke labeled this as "blatant hypocrisy" and expressed his desire for these corporations to encounter significant financial struggles.
During an interview with Welt TV, he reiterated his views and identified three companies in particular: "I'm talking about Vorwerk, Miele, and Stihl, who falsely advertise themselves as 'Made in Germany', despite not actually being produced in Germany and having no presence whatsoever in Thuringia. Yet, they involvement in political advocacy, accusations of hypocrisy included, is noteworthy," said Höcke. His intentions behind causing financial turmoil were to "wake them up to their errors".
He found it "inconsistent for small and medium-sized businesses, who leave Germany due to escalating energy costs, mounting bureaucracy, and exorbitant tax obligations, to then criticize the only party that supports policies favorable to small and medium-sized enterprises, inciting resentment and investing finances," stated the far-right politician. Accordingly, he "voiced his thoughts during a campaign speech".
The President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), Siegfried Russwurm, replied sharply to Höcke's speech. "An individual aiming to become Minister-President wishing financial harm on prosperous and dependable small and medium-sized enterprises reveals the incompetence of the party in this area," he stated. He condemned statements made by the AfD's top representatives as "dangerous for the economy".
The Commission, in response to this situation, could consider investigating the marketing practices of these companies, as mentioned by Höcke, and possibly amend the rules to prevent such misrepresentations in the future, according to the given Regulation. Furthermore, the financial struggles of these companies, as desired by Höcke, could potentially lead to reevaluations in their corporate policies and practices, particularly regarding political advocacy and advertising claims.
