Reinhold Würth, a 90‑year‑old screw‑business entrepreneur from Künzelsau whose company generates €20.7 billion in sales and employs more than 86,000 people, told the news magazine “Focus” that he believes the Free Democratic Party (FDP) will disappear both in Stuttgart and at the federal level. He added that he has always been a swing voter and would gladly give his vote to the FDP in the current political climate, but he fears that this might actually cause the party to be lost.
When asked whether the liberals would simply vanish from the Stuttgart state parliament if everyone stopped supporting them, Würth replied that such an outcome would simply occur. He expressed a desire for CDU politician Manuel Hagel to take the role of Minister‑President in Stuttgart. Würth predicts that the city’s current green‑black coalition, led by Green Minister‑President Winfried Kretschmann, will likely shift to a black‑green coalition, a change he would welcome.
The billionaire warned again against the AfD and advised his employees not to vote for the party in the upcoming state election, noting that the AfD currently plays no significant role in the state. As a countermeasure to the AfD, he recommended that the CDU pursue a clear reform agenda. Würth stated, “The Chancellor must explain that money does not fall from the sky. Merz must implement the necessary reforms with humility, friendliness, and modesty-this will also push back the AfD”.
