Overview
- The association lifted its ban on contacts at a parliamentary evening on October 8, where an AfD representative was invited for the first time, according to reporting cited by the outlets.
- President Marie-Christine Ostermann says the goal is to challenge AfD positions to reveal inconsistencies rather than continue blanket exclusion.
- Chief executive Albrecht von der Hagen argued the exclusion strategy achieved nothing and announced the group is saying goodbye to such barriers.
- The Stiftung Familienunternehmen maintains its refusal to invite AfD or Left Party politicians, and the CDU Economic Council reiterates opposition to AfD positions, while the BVMW reports an internal debate and questions the effectiveness of a hard-line stance.
- Reports differ on the association’s reach, with Der Spiegel citing about 6,500 members and Die Zeit describing representation of 180,000 medium-sized firms.