As Ulrich Reuter, president of the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV), explained at the end of January: “We depend on international cooperation, including targeted immigration, for our economy. And it is clear that foreign top researchers, foreign skilled workers and foreign nursing staff will not come to Germany if they fear rejection or even deportation in the future.” Currently, 1.7 million jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of applicants. Moreover, by 2035, almost 7 million baby boomers will have retired. The Federal Employment Agency estimates that at least 400,000 immigrants will be needed each year to stabilise the job market.
Political programme considered dangerous
Reuter’s criticism of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party is not confined to the party’s protectionist stance, its rejection of the energy transition or its desire to take Germany out of the EU. It is also based on revelations by the Correctiv investigative platform, which on 14 January unveiled plans by the party and its far-right allies to implement a so-called remigration plan.
As a Berlin correspondent for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business and labour market. My areas of interest include co-determination, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.