Employers’ associations and trade unions divided on general election outcome

* In 2002: PDS

In the run-up to the elections employers’ representatives had made no secret about favouring a victory of the conservative and liberal opposition, hoping that these parties would provide for a more business-friendly tax and deduction environment. In an immediate reaction to the election outcome, the president of the Confederation of German Industries (Bundesvereinigung der deutschen Industrie, BDI), Jürgen Thumann, expressed his disappointment about the outcome in a TV interview. In a [statement](http://www.bdi-online.de/BDIONLINE_INEAASP/iFILE.dll/X272D7D9097F24CA8B1AE0ECD99D76539/2F252102116711D5A9C0009027D62C80/PDF/PM 85-05 BDI-Pr%E4sident Wahlausgang.PDF) to the press he declared that the outcome would make governing more difficult but that the challenge to increase economic growth and support the creation of value would remain.

The president of the German Retail Federation (Hauptverband des Deutschen Einzelhandels, HDE), Hermann Franzen, called the outcome of the elections a fiasco but said the country now needed political clarity and a government that could reform tax and labour law systems.

The president of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag, DIHK), Ludwig Georg Braun, demanded a stable government. He said that there would be no alternative to future changes in the social security system, more labour market flexibility, an overhaul of the tax laws and less bureaucracy for small and medium enterprises

The Confederation of German Trade Unions (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, DGB), although it did not launch an official appeal in favour of any party, had shown before the elections substantial concern that a conservative-liberal victory would result in restrictions on bargaining autonomy and co-determination rights and further cuts in the social security system. Therefore the chair of the DGB, Michael Sommer, interpreted the outcome as a vote in favour of fair answers to the challenges the country would face.

The chair of the German Metalworkers’ Union (Industriegewerkschaft Metall, IG Metall), Jürgen Peters, said the outcome was a vote against neoliberal policies. The outcome would show a structural majority in favour of an attitude of solidarity and a social reform policy. The argument of the chair of the Mining, Chemicals and Energy Industrial Union (Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie, IG BCE), Hubertus Schmoldt, followed the same theme.

Frank Bsirske, who chairs the large United Services Union (Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft, ver.di) said the defeat of the red-Green coalition would be the price for its policy of cuts in the social security system which had triggered major protests in 2004 (DE0409204N). He raised concerns that these policies might be continued and said that ver.di would seek a dialogue with all parties in parliament to demand social and just policies in the interest of employees.

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