In the midst of the European election campaign and in the midst of a strong debate in Germany about how to protect politicians from possible attacks in an environment of growing hatred, 30 large business consortiums in the country have come together to campaign and raise awareness, at least among its 1.7 million employees, against populist movements. With the alliance they have called “We defend values”, they ask for the vote for pro-European parties and warn of what it would mean to vote for groups such as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Especially in Germany, a country that needs immigration to maintain its economic activity.
The ultra boom has caused something previously unusual in Germany: the fact that companies get involved in the election campaign now seems reasonable. The CEOs of Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Bahn (the public railway company) and Siemens have joined the CEOs of other major companies in taking a stand against extremism, populism and racism and warning of the consequences this could have. for Germany as a place of business, after seeing how some red lines have been crossed, such as with the term “re-emigration”—that is, the departure from the country of immigrants and German citizens of migrant origin—coined by the German extreme right.
“Extremists and racists are dividing our society, dividing our country and endangering our prosperity,” said Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens, during a joint appearance with his counterparts from Deutsche Bahn – Richard Lutz – and Deutsche Bank. —Christian Sewing—Monday afternoon.
“We want more diversity, more openness and more tolerance for a society in which it is worth living and there is prosperity,” he noted about something that, in his opinion, is the basis of innovative strength and competitiveness. “They are putting in danger what we have built,” warned Busch, who is not afraid to commit, even if it causes him to lose orders. “If customers cancel orders, that’s how it is. But I don’t think that’s the case.”
The business alliance includes many companies on the Dax, the benchmark index of the German stock market, such as Bayer, Volkswagen, Eon, BMW, Allianz, Mercedes and BASF, among others. The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the Federation of German Industries (BDI) have also joined. The purpose of this initiative is to establish a dialogue with employees through internal discussion rounds, workshops, video messages and information events. The focus is on the economic added value of the values of diversity, openness and tolerance.
Companies collaborate in the development of formats and content, share their experiences and use the alliance as a platform. In April, businessman from the wealthy state of Baden-Württemberg Reinhold Würth wrote a personal letter to his employees in which he warned against voting for populists and explicitly mentioned the AfD party. A few days ago, Würth explained that he had received a lot of support for his commitment, although some customers had also announced that they no longer wanted to buy from the screw and fastening technology giant. But this possibility does not worry businessmen. “We live with a historical responsibility,” said the head of Deutsche Bahn, who recalled the participation of the German railway company in the mass murder of people during the Nazi era, so “now is the time to defend universal values and “Do not subordinate everything to economic success.”
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Businessmen warned that due to the various crises hitting the country, many people feel insecure, some feel abandoned, and populists are trying to take advantage of these feelings. “But these people’s seemingly simple answers to complex problems will never work,” said Busch, the Siemens CEO.
Migration required
The manager also recalled that, given the enormous shortage of qualified labor, Germany needs immigration. According to the Labor Market and Occupation Research Institute, the country’s labor market needs 400,000 qualified workers from abroad every year. In addition, he pointed out that due to their strong export orientation, companies also depend on a strong European Union.
“Our great asset is Europe,” Sewing remarked. “Populists want less Europe or even an exit from the EU. “That would be a big mistake,” warned the director of the country’s largest bank, who warned of the danger this poses for investors who view what is happening in the largest European economy with “growing skepticism.” For years, Germany has paid lower interest rates in capital markets than other countries, in part because of its traditional political and cultural reliability, he recalled. This is now endangered by extremist positions on the left and right. In his opinion, a strong democracy is the prerequisite for economic success.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz cited Irish philosopher Edmund Burke to illustrate his support for the alliance. “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing,” recalled the head of the German railways, who highlighted the fact that people are afraid of getting involved in politics, something that must be fought against, although it is not easy. “There are many signs that we are facing a fateful election in Europe,” Lutz said. “We campaign for a democratic Germany within a united Europe, also because this is to a certain extent the basis of our companies’ businesses and therefore the basis of growth and prosperity.”
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