Thuringia’s business groups split over AfD engagement after high-profile exits

When two major firms walked out, Thuringia’s business world confronted a dilemma: neutrality or values? The fallout could reshape how companies navigate politics.

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2025 November 27 . 11:03 PM

1 min read

In this image there is a conference in which there are people sitting in chair and listening to the... — In this image there is a conference in which there are people sitting in chair and listening to the people who are on the stage. It seems like an event in which there is a conversation between the media people and the owners. At the background there is a big hoarding and the wall beside it.

AfD Handling: Associations Feel Committed to Neutrality - Thuringia’s business groups split over AfD engagement after high-profile exits

A debate over political engagement has emerged among Thuringia’s small business ideas groups. The issue arose after the Association of Family Entrepreneurs invited AfD representatives to a parliamentary event. Two major companies, Rossmann and Vorwerk, subsequently left the organisation in protest.

Thuringia’s economic associations generally maintain political neutrality. They engage with all democratically elected lawmakers but avoid parties whose views conflict with an open, market-based, and European-aligned system. The Erfurt and East Thuringia Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK), representing over 90,000 businesses, follow this approach, as does the Gera Chamber of Skilled Crafts (HWK), which invites members from all democratic parties to its events.

The dispute reflects broader tensions over political engagement in Thuringia’s my business community. While some associations maintain strict distance from the AfD, others allow limited interaction. The outcome may influence how economic groups balance neutrality with their core values in future events.