Siemens Energy boss warns about AfD economic policy and its effects on Saxony-Anhalt

The head of the DAX group Siemens Energy emphatically warns against the AfD's economic policy. The party's program, which calls, among other things, for a return to coal and nuclear power, is bad for Germany as a business location and partially attacks democratic structures, said Christian Bruch of the German Press Agency. “I think that’s absolutely critical.”

Bruch emphasized: "Our company and our German jobs depend on us exporting, on bringing international skilled workers to Germany and on foreign investors being able to rely on political stability. And if that doesn't happen, then it will be disadvantageous for Germany as a business location." He is therefore looking forward to the election on Sunday in Saxony-Anhalt with great concern. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD as definitely right-wing extremist in the state.

Bruch regretted that politicians had not yet managed to find compromises that the majority of the population could agree with. “This is absolutely a critical situation.” But the AfD is sending a “dramatically wrong message” with its vision of a return to Germany’s previous successes. Bruch said: “I don’t see the AfD as being interested in change, but as nostalgic, to put it kindly.”

The manager added: "People underestimate the speed at which other countries change. We must finally see change as an opportunity. Nostalgic politics is throwing us further and further back." Discussions about a return to nuclear technology in Germany are “useless in a Europe that is excellently networked in terms of energy policy, in which there are nuclear power plants in France or being built in the Czech Republic or elsewhere,” said Bruch. He thinks the energy policy statements he read in the AfD program “do not make sense”.

AfD leading candidate Ulrich Siegmund had announced several times that he would only govern in Saxony-Anhalt with an absolute majority - now he is leaving an election for Prime Minister open even with an absolute majority and emphasizes that he needs a “stable majority”. When asked whether he would aim for the Prime Minister's Office with a one-vote majority in the state parliament, Siegmund told the "Bild" newspaper (Saturday): "We will decide that on Monday. Let's see how it turns out."

Siegmund emphasized that he was interested in a “stable majority” in the state parliament. "What do I do if one or two or three MPs are in the hospital? Should I then carry them on a stretcher into the state parliament to vote?" Siegmund told the "Bild" newspaper. It should not be the case that the country’s “progress is paralyzed” “because one or two MPs are absent due to health reasons,” added the AfD top candidate.

Siegmund had previously emphasized several times that he only wanted to govern with an absolute majority. He justified this position on ZDF by saying that he wanted to implement everything he had announced. “I can’t do that with anyone else at the moment,” he said. He accused the other parties: “Others have put up the firewalls.” The AfD has “recognized the realities” and says: “If no one wants to do it with us, we just have to do it alone.”

If the AfD comes into government, according to the head of the economists, Monika Schnitzer, this could deter urgently needed skilled workers and thus have serious economic consequences. “In view of the election program, it is to be expected that if the AfD takes over government, the state would become significantly less attractive as a location for skilled workers and companies,” Schnitzer told the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”.

The Munich economics professor pointed out that many workers in Saxony-Anhalt will be retiring in the next few years. “Without immigration from outside, many skilled workers will soon be missing. And without sufficient skilled workers, urgently needed investments will not be made,” warned Schnitzer.

During the election campaign, he often emphasized that AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund only wants to govern with an absolute majority. Even that doesn't seem to be enough for him, he says in an interview with "Bild".

“What do I do if one or two or three MPs are in the hospital?” he asks. That was “not good for this country” and he would then no longer be able to get any laws passed. He wants a “stable majority” – he leaves it open how many MPs will achieve this. When asked whether he would be elected prime minister with an MP with an absolute majority, he simply said: “We will decide that on Monday.”

Shortly before the Saxony-Anhalt state elections, a civil society alliance projected a slogan on the facade of the Magdeburg Cathedral and the state parliament. It read there on Friday evening: "We won't give up what we love. True love for our homeland is not the AfD." More buildings are to follow on Saturday.

According to a spokeswoman, this is the conclusion of the “True homeland love is” campaign by the “More than divides us” association, which claims to be non-partisan, independent and funded by donations. In addition to actors such as Sandra Hülser and Christian Friedel, the supporters include people from civil society, business and science.

The head of the German Economic Institute (IW), Michael Hüther, has warned of a “ruinous” immigration policy and its consequences for the state if the AfD were to win the election in Saxony-Anhalt. “Given its demographics, Germany is dependent on qualified immigration from abroad,” said Hüther to the “Rheinische Post” (Saturday). “Anyone who wants to compete for foreign skilled workers must not support a party that openly calls for their expulsion,” he added.

"For Saxony-Anhalt itself, an immigration policy according to the AfD's ideas would be ruinous. Because of the unfavorable demographics, according to our forecasts, without immigration, the working population in Saxony-Anhalt will decline by around a quarter by 2045. For every employable person in Saxony-Anhalt, there would then be more than one person who is not working," said Hüther, emphasizing that this would "drive the country to the wall economically."

“An AfD government in Saxony-Anhalt would be a stress test for liberal democracy and would test its resilience,” explained the IW boss. According to surveys by the institute, “six out of ten East German entrepreneurs” see democracy at risk.

Brandenburg's SPD Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke advises his party to take a clear stance in view of weak nationwide poll numbers. “The party leadership must take the dissatisfaction in the SPD and the weak poll numbers seriously,” said Woidke.

“Many people currently no longer recognize what the SPD stands for and what concrete difference social democratic politics makes in their lives.” In the most recent survey by Infratest dimap, the SPD got 13 percent. She has governed nationwide with the Union since 2025.

"In terms of content, the SPD doesn't have to completely reinvent itself. But it has to say what it stands for more clearly, concretely and credibly," said Woidke. “Our strength is bringing together social justice and economic strength.”

In the state elections on Sunday in Saxony-Anhalt, major election research institutes do not expect any surprises like five years ago, when the AfD finished weaker than in the polls and the CDU significantly stronger than expected. "We do not expect such a large mobilization effect in the last few days as in 2021. Back then, (Prime Minister Reiner) Haseloff's CDU was able to rally the AfD opponents behind them. This time the AfD opponents are divided more widely among different parties," said the head of the elections research group, Matthias Jung, to the German Press Agency. His colleagues from Infratest-dimap and Insa made similar comments.