Reinhold Würth, the 90‑year‑old screw‑manufacturing magnate and former member of the Free Democratic Party, told Focus magazine that he expects the FDP to disappear both in Stuttgart and nationwide. “I foresee the party vanishing” he said, noting that he has always been a swing voter and would give the Liberals his vote if the circumstances warranted it, but he fears that doing so could doom the party.
When asked whether the Liberals would simply quit the Stuttgart state parliament if everyone thought so, Würth answered, “That’s how it is”. He said he would appoint CDU politician Manuel Hagel as minister‑president. Würth’s company, based in Künzelsau, records €20.7 billion in revenue and employs over 86,000 people.
Until now, Stuttgart has been governed by a Green‑Black coalition under the “great green” minister‑president Winfried Kretschmann. Würth predicts a switch to a Black‑Green government in the near future and says he would welcome such a change.
The billionaire again warns against the Alternative for Germany (AfD), advising his employees not to vote for the party in both federal and state elections. “My warning still stands; fortunately the AfD plays no role here in the state” he added.
To counter the AfD, Würth recommends a clear reform agenda for the CDU. He said, “The chancellor must explain that money is not falling from the sky. Merz must, with humility, friendliness and modesty, drive through the necessary reforms – this will also push the AfD back”.