Investor withdraws nursing school in Albstadt because of AfD approval!

Investor withdraws nursing school in Albstadt because of AfD approval!

In Albstadt, a small town in Baden-Württemberg, the entrepreneur Kaspar Pfister has stopped his plans to build a nursing school with an investment volume of 10 million euros. This happened against the background of increasing support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which won 20.8 percent of the vote nationwide in the federal election in February 2025 and received high support in the east, especially in Albstadt, with 37 percent of the vote. Pfister justified his decision by saying that he could not set up a training facility for foreign skilled workers in such a politically extreme environment. Mayor Roland Tralmer (CDU) regrets this development and warns of the negative economic consequences of the rise of the AfD, which is seen as a “standard factor” for uncertainty in the economy. This is in line with the view of many entrepreneurs and economists who warn of the effects of populist politics, as the AfD is seen as having an increasing influence on the labor market and immigration. [fr.de reports that in a survey by the German Economic Institute (IW) they observed a worrying trend: 48 percent of entrepreneurs in AfD strongholds have difficulty attracting skilled workers from abroad.

This problem is reflected in a broader discursive context. In East Germany, for example, we are experiencing that the shortage of skilled workers could lead to a loss of around 385,000 workers in Thuringia by 2035. Nevertheless, surveys show that the AfD's economic expertise plays a subordinate role for the electorate in Saxony and Thuringia. According to current surveys, only 13 percent in Saxony and 12 percent in Thuringia place the AfD's economic views at the center of their voting decision. The upcoming state elections on September 1, 2024 are already casting their shadows, and before the election in Saxony, the CDU is currently ahead of the AfD, as can be seen from [zdf.de.

Challenges in the skilled sector

The increasing support for the AfD represents a significant challenge for the economy. Entrepreneurs like Pfister fear that a restrictive migration policy, as called for in the AfD's motto, could further aggravate the already tense situation on the labor market. Current figures show that the number of German nursing staff remains constant, while there is a decline in geriatric care. At the same time, the proportion of foreign employees rises to 20 percent. In order to meet the need for nursing staff in Germany - which has doubled to 5.6 million people in need of care since 2014 - it would therefore be necessary to improve the attractiveness of Germany as a location for foreign skilled workers.

In Saxony, 24.1 percent of employees earn less than 14 euros an hour, which is above the national average. These circumstances are contrasted by the demands within the AfD for relief for companies and a fundamental rejection of a welcoming culture for foreign workers. While some AfD politicians like Jörg Urban are counting on easing the burden on companies in order to enable fair wages, business representatives like Monika Schnitzer warn of the negative effects of a policy that argues against immigration.

Economic prospects in East Germany

Despite these challenges, East Germany certainly has economic advantages as a location, particularly in the areas of microelectronics, software and renewable energies. Nils Aldag from Sunfire highlights the opportunities that exist in the renewable energy sector. However, these positive aspects are in contrast to the fact that the AfD partially denies man-made climate change and continues to rely on coal and nuclear power. Michael Hüther, director of the German Economic Institute, criticizes the AfD's refusal to meet the challenges of climate change by expanding renewable energies.

The current economic situation in East Germany requires political decision-makers to take a balanced approach that promotes both the necessary immigration of skilled workers and economic growth while at the same time getting social tensions under control.