Sachsen-Anhalt: Sorge von Unternehmern: „Angesichts der AfD-Rhetorik kann sich kein Ausländer willkommen fühlen“

In the state of Sachsen-Anhalt, business leaders express concern over the political rhetoric of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, fearing it may deter foreigners from feeling welcome. Despite the historic victory of the AfD at the national level causing widespread unease, entrepreneurs in the region remain comparatively level-headed about the outcome.

Simon Schandert, co-founder and CEO of Tesvolt, a leading battery storage specialist and one of the largest and most valuable startups in Sachsen-Anhalt, stated to the Handelsblatt that their primary hope is that the cool economic sense will prevail, regardless of the political landscape. Schandert, who recently invested 23 million euros in a new logistics and technology center in Wittenberg, considers this a long-term commitment to the state.

Christian Vollmann, the founder of a serial entrepreneur, expressed his relief at the historically high voter turnout, emphasizing that it demonstrates the functioning of democracy. However, the full impact of the AfD's electoral success on the startup ecosystem in Sachsen-Anhalt will only become clear in the coming weeks and months.

It is clear that the state lags behind the national average, with only 30 new companies founded last year, compared to nearly 3,600 nationwide. In total, Sachsen-Anhalt is home to fewer than 100 startups.