IG Metall Wins VW Works Council Election in Wolfsburg - IG Metall retains Volkswagen works council majority amid far-right gains
Volkswagen's works council elections have wrapped up, with IG Metall keeping its majority but facing notable losses. Nearly 61,300 employees at the Wolfsburg plant cast their votes, marking a shift in representation across the company's German sites. For the first time, a group linked to the far-right AfD also secured seats in the council.
The elections took place across Volkswagen's plants in Lower Saxony, Saxony, and Hesse. At Wolfsburg, the company's largest site, IG Metall—led by Daniela Cavallo—won 74.8% of the vote, down from 85.5% in 2022. This result still gave them 52 of the 67 seats, ensuring their continued dominance.
Cavallo, who ran only in Wolfsburg, will keep her roles as chair of both the group and corporate works councils. Meanwhile, the second-largest group, *Die Andere Liste*, led by Frank Patta, saw its support grow to 14.1%, doubling its seats from four to ten. Patta's faction, once critical of management, has recently aligned with AfD-linked positions, including collaboration with a similar list in Zwickau. New to the race was *Zentrum*, a group seen as close to the far-right AfD. It won two seats at the Braunschweig components plant, marking its first appearance in Volkswagen's elections. Other sites reported even stronger IG Metall performances, with higher vote shares than at Wolfsburg.
The results confirm IG Metall's leading position but highlight growing support for alternative factions. Die Andere Liste now holds ten seats, while Zentrum has entered the council for the first time. The next election in 2026 will show whether these shifts continue or stabilise.
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