German family businesses launch tolerance campaign ahead of eastern state elections as AfD support peaks
Executive summary: Family-run enterprises in eastern Germany launched a public tolerance campaign called 'Made by Vielfalt' ahead of upcoming state elections, responding to record-high polling for the AfD party. The initiative signals corporate unease with rising political extremism and seeks to safeguard consumer trust, employee morale and regional investment climate.
Who is involved: German family-owned businesses (Mittelstand), campaign organizers, the AfD political party, and voters in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg.
Likely next: The campaign will be rolled out through regional media and events in September, while political parties continue campaigning and analysts watch for shifts in voter sentiment and business sentiment.
Family-owned companies in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg have unveiled the 'Made by Vielfalt' initiative, urging openness and diversity in the run-up to regional elections. The move comes as surveys show the Alternative for Germany (AfD) reaching unprecedented levels of support in the east. By framing the campaign as a business-led call for tolerance, the firms aim to protect their operating environment and brand reputation amid rising political polarization. Analysts note that such corporate political engagement is uncommon in Germany’s Mittelstand but reflects growing concern over extremist voting trends.
Timeline
- — Landtagswahlen: Vor Wahlen in Ostdeutschland: Familienunternehmen starten Kampagne „Made by Vielfalt“ (Handelsblatt)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- State elections in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg set for September 2026
- Made by Vielfalt campaign to debut in regional newspapers and radio from early September 2026
- AfD scheduled to hold rallies in Dresden, Erfurt and Potsdam throughout August‑September 2026
- Business associations expected to issue statements on corporate political engagement by October 2026
Sectors affected
- German family-owned manufacturing
- regional retail and hospitality
- eastern German tourism
Historical parallels
- German manufacturers supported the 'Initiative für ein weltoffenes Deutschland' campaign during the 2017 federal election
- Swiss firms launched the 'Wir sind Europa' initiative in 2016 to counter populist rhetoric
- Italian family businesses funded anti‑mafia solidarity projects in Sicily in 2015
Sources
- Landtagswahlen: Vor Wahlen in Ostdeutschland: Familienunternehmen starten Kampagne „Made by Vielfalt“ — Handelsblatt
Related cases
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- Police have a confession letter linking recent attacks on electricity substations in North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg to sabotage
- Sabotage attack on German electricity substation raises security concerns for regional power supply
- An alleged sabotage attempt on a German electricity substation near the Jänschwalde coal plant raises concerns about energy infrastructure security and potential market disruptions
- Merkel warns that AfD’s growing influence could shape German political debate ahead of the Saxony‑Anhalt state election
- The Saxony-Anhalt state election draws international scrutiny as a potential AfD win could reshape Germany’s energy and fiscal policies