An organization faces a dilemma. - Würth confronted with possible risks due to AfD's success
Business tycoon Reinhold Würth, dubbed the "Screw King," voiced his discontent with the AfD's showing in the European elections and is mulling potential repercussions for his company's investments in Germany.
At Würth's headquarters in Künzelsau (Hohenlohekreis), the party secured 20.6% of the votes. Würth shared his thoughts on Deutschlandfunk, stating: "If this trend continues with 20%, we as business owners need to be wary of where and how we invest." This development represents a significant milestone for the Würth company. "We'll analyze and evaluate in a composed manner whether we'll make additional major investments in Germany or shift to a different country instead."
"We'd face massive problems without our foreign employees"
The 89-year-old billionaire and chairman of Würth's supervisory board, with over 27,000 employees in Germany, explained his contemplations stemming from AfD's demands for repatriation. When extreme-right-wingers use the term repatriation, they typically mean that a substantial number of people with origins outside the country should depart - even by force. Würth stated during a Deutschlandfunk broadcast on Thursday: "We'd have major complications if we didn't have our foreign employees." He estimates that approximately 30% of the workforce hails from other nations - losing them would be disastrous.
Prior to the election, Würth urged his German employees not to cast ballots for the AfD. In a five-page correspondence, the family-owned business mogul cautioned prospective protest voters: "Voting for the AfD just as a joke and in response to frustration with the traffic light government is not sufficient."
In Germany, nobody should go hungry or freeze, penned Würth. It's expected that individuals can live a relatively liberated life here. Würth kicked off his career at 14 with an apprenticeship in his dad's modest business, which he took over in 1954 at the age of 19 after his father's passing. The tycoon ranks among Germany's wealthiest. Per the company, more than 87,000 people work for the trading company branded with his name internationally.
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- Adolf Würth GmbH Co. is a significant player in Germany's business landscape, with Reinhold Würth, its chairman, expressing concern over the AfD's success in the European elections.
- The AfD secured a notable 20.6% of the votes in Würth's hometown of Künzelsau, located in Baden-Württemberg's Hohenlohe district.
- As a result, Würth has pondered potential implications for the company's investments in Germany, suggesting the need for a strategic reassessment.
- Reinhold Würth, a fervent advocate for diversity and a company that employs 27,000 Germans, highlighted the potential challenges the business would face if the AfD's demands for repatriation were enforced.
- The Tycoon expressed his concerns during an interview on Deutschlandfunk, emphasizing the essential role played by its foreign employees, who account for about 30% of the workforce.
- Prior to the election, Würth urged his German employees to exercise their votes responsibly, calling for a thoughtful approach to voting rather than considering the AfD as a mere joke or a reaction to political frustration.
