AfD candidate proposes returning emigrants to combat labor shortage

Ulrich Siegmund, the top candidate for the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, has put forward a unique proposal to tackle the region's looming labor shortage: encouraging Germans who have emigrated to return. Siegmund estimates that hundreds could come back if his party leads the state government, though he acknowledges this would only partially address the projected deficit of around 200,000 workers.

Siegmund believes that not all emigrants are solely motivated by higher salaries abroad. He suggests that many miss their homeland and family connections, citing individuals who have contacted him from countries like Hungary, Norway, and the Canary Islands. Alongside this focus on returnees, Siegmund also advocates for increased automation, the use of artificial intelligence, and a more streamlined administration to boost the workforce.

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Because not everything in life is money for everyone.

However, the current leadership in Saxony-Anhalt views immigration as indispensable. Premier Sven Schulze of the CDU highlighted the demographic challenge, stating that two people are leaving the workforce for every one entering it. He deemed it unrealistic to expect the labor needs to be met solely by individuals from within Saxony-Anhalt or surrounding states.

Armin Willingmann of the SPD echoed these concerns, underscoring the necessity of immigration to bridge the significant gap in the labor market. The differing approaches highlight a key debate in Germany as regions grapple with demographic shifts and the future of their economies.

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It would be completely unrealistic to believe that we can achieve this solely with people from Saxony-Anhalt or the surrounding federal states.