Germany news: State premier visits VW for crisis talks
Political leaders are visiting car giant Volkswagen for crisis talks, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz meets party colleagues after a testing summer. DW has more.
Lower Saxony's state premier, Olaf Lies, is set to visit Volkswagen's Hanover plant to discuss the future of the ailing car manufacturer. Invited by Volkswagen's general works council, Lies will meet with employee representatives, staff delegates and local plant management. The primary focus of the talks will likely be on Volkswagen's restructuring plans and the fate of its German production sites.
Following the meetings, Lies will provide a media briefing alongside Julia Willie Hamburg, Lower Saxony's deputy state premier and member of the Green Party. Also present will be Daniela Cavallo, head of the works council, and representatives from the IG Metall trade union.
As the state of Lower Saxony holds a 20% stake in the Volkswagen Group, Lies is also scheduled to visit plants in Osnabrück and Emden. Discussions with representatives from the Zwickau factory in Saxony are expected to occur remotely.
Volkswagen is seeking to reduce costs and enhance competitiveness, a move that has raised concerns among workers, unions, and politicians about potential job losses affecting tens of thousands of employees. The premier's visit underscores the urgency of addressing these issues amid the ongoing crisis at Volkswagen.
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