According to analyses by the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle (IWH), the economy of Saxony-Anhalt could suffer substantial damage if the Alternative for Germany (AfD) comes to power after the state elections. The IWH published its findings, suggesting that a “hostile climate” could result in thousands of missing jobs and a loss of up to 3.2 billion euros in value added during the next legislative term.
The institute points out that Saxony-Anhalt is particularly susceptible to demographic shifts, even though its percentage of foreign workers among insured employees is among the lowest nationwide. Recently, however, the integration of refugees has helped stabilize the labor market. However, the IWH warned that if current trends continue, 32,000 workers could be lacking by the end of the next legislative period in 2031. Conversely, if policies become strongly opposed to immigration, this deficit could balloon to 46,000 missing positions.
Reint Gropp, President of the IWH, emphasized that Saxony-Anhalt possesses one of Germany’s oldest employment structures. He stated that promoting anti-immigration sentiment would leave thousands of additional positions vacant, leading to a measurable decline in prosperity. The sectors most vulnerable to this trend include food preparation, gastronomy, civil engineering, logistics, and both human and dental medical services.
This warning comes amid poll results suggesting that an AfD-led government in Saxony-Anhalt is a real possibility following the elections scheduled for September 6th.
