Automotive industry seeks balanced policies - Critique of regional government's economic approach by the Free Democratic Party
In the heart of Saarland, the future of the ZF plant in Saarbrücken is under scrutiny, with Mayor Uwe Conradt demanding immediate clarification about its fate. Amidst this uncertainty, the FDP Saar is advocating for a comprehensive location package to support the plant and improve the economic conditions of Saarland.
Angelika Hießerich-Peter, state chairwoman of the FDP Saar, believes that such a package is crucial to sustain and modernise the automotive industry hub in Saarbrücken, particularly as the industry transitions towards e-mobility and sustainable technologies.
The location package, as proposed by Hießerich-Peter, would offer targeted economic incentives, infrastructure improvements, and support for innovation and workforce qualification. The aim is to secure jobs, enhance competitiveness, and make Saarland an attractive location for key industrial players like ZF.
One of the key elements motivating this call is the need to support the transformation of local auto industry suppliers. A stable industrial policy framework and financial support, such as a transformation fund for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), would help these businesses navigate the shift from combustion engines to electric mobility.
Another crucial aspect is the development of infrastructure, such as charging networks and streamlined regulatory processes, to facilitate the manufacture and use of electric vehicles in the region. Additionally, qualification and retraining programs would ensure that employees can transition smoothly to new technologies without losing employment security or pension rights.
However, Hießerich-Peter has criticised the economic policy of the Saarland government and the reliance on industrial resettlements from China or the USA, which she deems unsuccessful. She advocates for a collaborative approach, urging the state government to break out of its ideological patterns and work together with business, trade unions, and municipalities to create a location package.
In a surprising turn, the FDP does not repeat its earlier criticism of the management of ZF or its questioning of why ZF is considering alternative locations. Instead, Hießerich-Peter thinks it would have been more beneficial to support ZF during its transformation.
Furthermore, the FDP is urging Minister President Anke Rehlinger to use her influence on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to overturn the planned ban on internal combustion engines and plug-in hybrids. This call is in line with the FDP's broader strategy to promote economic resilience and job security in Saarland.
In conclusion, the FDP Saar’s call for a comprehensive location package reflects a strategic effort to preserve and modernise the automotive industry hub in Saarbrücken amid ongoing industrial transformation, ensuring economic resilience and job security in Saarland.
- The FDP Saar's proposal for a location package aims to support the transition of the ZF plant in Saarbrücken, an important hub for the automotive industry, towards e-mobility and sustainable technologies.
- The package, which includes economic incentives, infrastructure improvements, and support for innovation and workforce qualification, also aims to make Saarland a competitive location for key industrial players like ZF.
- To navigate the shift from combustion engines to electric mobility, a stable industrial policy framework and financial support, such as a transformation fund for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), are necessary to help local auto industry suppliers adapt.
- The FDP is advocating for a collaborative approach, urging the state government to work together with business, trade unions, and municipalities to create this location package, rather than relying on industrial resettlements from foreign countries.
