Lower Saxony’s Minister President, Olaf Lies (SPD), expressed optimism following a factory visit to Volkswagen in Hannover. On Monday evening, Lies stated that the location remains competitive, citing the ongoing preparation for autonomous ID buses and the manufacturing of the “Californias.” He noted that both of these projects are currently integrated into the existing production lines, and highlighted that the workforce has contributed to cost reductions by submitting their own optimization suggestions.
The Minister President described the vehicle manufacturing plant in Hannover as central to the VW group and stated that he could not conceive of this role moving away from the region. While acknowledging that the negotiated process-known locally as the “Niedersächsische Weg”-is intricate, Lies expressed confidence that viable agreements could be reached, ensuring the continuation of production in Lower Saxony and Germany.
Following the Minister President’s visit, Works Council Chair Daniela Cavallo demanded that the corporate leadership disclose its strategy to the employees. A series of works council meetings have been scheduled over the coming days.
Lies announced plans to soon visit the VW sites in Osnabrück and Emden. The goal of these visits is to gather a concrete understanding of the conditions at each location before engaging in discussions regarding the future site structure. These discussions are aimed not only at preserving automotive production but also at exploring potential for “other things that can be manufactured” at those sites.
Lower Saxony holds a significant stake in Volkswagen, being the second-largest shareholder after Porsche (securing 20 percent of the voting rights, but ahead of Qatar). Meanwhile, the massive automotive conglomerate continues to face increasing pressure, particularly from China.
