DGB chief Fahimi: AfD government would "lead Germany into the abyss"
The trade union leader demands a consistent industrial policy with subsidies only for firms that do research and production in Europe, and warns against "orgies of cuts".
Archive image · Photo: Kasa Fue / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Yasmin Fahimi, head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), has issued a stark warning against an AfD-led government. Such a government "would lead Germany into the abyss", she said. It would intimidate unwelcome groups, dismantle democracy and isolate Germany economically. The AfD had always opposed the minimum wage and collective bargaining, she said.
Fahimi called on the federal government to pursue a consistent industrial policy. "Only companies that do substantial research and production in Europe should receive state support and tax benefits." Imports of technologically and strategically important products should be limited, she said. "Otherwise we will be ground down between Trump's tariffs and the heavily subsidised companies from China."
On the upcoming social reforms, the DGB leader called for more fairness. Many employers reduced growth and competitiveness to low labour costs and social contributions, she said. Unions and workers were ready for reforms, but not for this kind of reform. People wanted reforms that were fair and made things better: "They don't want orgies of cuts."