The Association of Family Businesses’ recent decision to engage in dialogue with members of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has triggered a fierce backlash, with the Green Party demanding an immediate reversal of the controversial move. Green Party parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge condemned the association’s approach in a statement to Bild, labeling it a “fatal course correction” that necessitates retraction.
Dröge lauded the drugstore chain Rossmann as a positive example, highlighting their decisive rejection of collaboration with the family business association as a significant demonstration of principle. Her call extended beyond Rossmann, urging all member companies to follow suit if the association fails to change its trajectory. “Otherwise, I call on the member companies to follow Rossmann’s example and clearly position themselves democratically and decisively against right-wing extremism” she stated.
The Green Party leader’s critique underscored a fundamental concern about the symbiotic relationship between economic success and a robust democratic framework. “Democracy and an open economic model are the foundation of our prosperity” Dröge asserted. Her remarks implicitly challenged the association’s risk assessment, suggesting that sustained economic viability is incompatible with aligning with a party perceived as divisive and threatening to social cohesion. The move exposes a growing tension within Germany’s business community: the balancing act between maintaining connections and publicly aligning against the rising tide of right-wing populism, particularly as it seeks to infiltrate established economic institutions.