Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

Tens of thousands of workers across Germany are expected to take part in protests on Monday to defend their jobs and factories amid the ongoing crisis in the country’s automotive industry.

Employees of Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, and major automotive suppliers will hold demonstrations at more than 280 locations across Germany.

The IG Metall trade union is calling on companies to protect jobs and maintain domestic production. It is also urging Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government to reduce energy costs and introduce measures to protect German manufacturers from growing pressure from cheaper imports, according to NU.nl.

Germany’s automotive industry has been facing serious challenges for several years. Among the main factors are weaker demand, high production and energy costs, the transition to electric vehicles, and increasingly strong competition from Chinese automakers.

“We are not going to stand by while this crucial sector is gradually being destroyed,” said IG Metall regional manager Torsten Gröger. “Employees are not responsible for the mistakes of the past few years, and they should not have to pay the price for them.”

On Friday, Volkswagen significantly lowered its profit forecast, providing another indication of the difficulties facing one of Germany’s largest industrial companies. The automaker is carrying out a major restructuring program, which is expected to affect around 100,000 jobs worldwide, while several German plants are facing an uncertain future.

The crisis is particularly significant for Germany because the automotive sector is one of the country’s most important industrial employers and exporters. The industry also supports millions of jobs indirectly through suppliers, logistics companies, and other related businesses.

At the same time, German manufacturers are under pressure to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles while remaining competitive on price. Chinese companies have expanded rapidly in the global EV market, adding another challenge for Europe’s traditional automotive leaders.

The protests therefore reflect not only concerns about individual jobs, but also a broader debate about the future of German manufacturing and the country’s ability to remain a major automotive production hub.