Far-right AfD's presence in German workplace rising, union boss warns

German businesses face a serious test in 2026 from the rising influence of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), a leading trade union boss has warned.

In comments released on Sunday, Frank Werneke from the verdi trade union said the national works council elections from March 1 to May 31 will be a "litmus test" for the AfD's growth in the workplace.

Around 180,000 employees are to be selected in the vote, which occurs every four years across all German companies that have a works council.

Werneke said union leaders are set to keep a close eye on whether individuals or lists affiliated with the AfD "attempt to take over the workplace for their own purposes."

The anti-immigrant AfD, the country's largest opposition party, is increasingly attempting to spread its message by exhibiting a heavy presence in public spaces such as associations, sports, cultural offerings, Werneke said.

Until now, the workplace and trade unions have been kept "largely free" of far-right tendencies and structures, he added.

But while AfD officials are only represented in trade unions in "very modest numbers," there are already a significant number of trade union members opting to vote for the AfD, Werneke said.

Ahead of the works council elections and key regional votes in states such as Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2026, Werneke called on the country's political parties to maintain the so-called firewall against working with the AfD.

They should "leave no doubt that they will not cooperate with the AfD," he underlined.