Tesla’s first European factory, located in Gruenheide, Brandenburg, has been a source of controversy despite generating thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue. Now, public discontent surrounding the plant may help the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) party secure a win in the state elections on Sunday.
The €5 billion (US$5.5 billion) factory, which opened in March 2022, has faced backlash from local residents, with concerns about its impact on the region’s groundwater. In a non-binding referendum in February, residents overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to expand the facility. Despite this, a scaled-down version of the expansion was approved in May by the local parliament, with only the AfD and a left-wing party opposing it.
Local activist Manuela Hoyer criticized the decision, saying the government favored Elon Musk over environmental concerns. The AfD, currently leading in the polls with 28%, has capitalized on this discontent, positioning itself as a protest vote against Tesla and the ruling Social Democrats (SPD), who are polling at 25%.
While the AfD is not expected to govern—since no mainstream party will form a coalition with it—its opposition to Tesla, despite Musk’s perceived sympathies for the party, has given it a boost in the polls.
The factory has also experienced operational challenges, including declining electric vehicle sales in Germany, layoffs, and paused expansion plans. Local SPD candidate Ulf Kuehnel argued that Musk’s controversial behavior, rather than genuine environmental concerns, is driving opposition to the factory.
Brandenburg’s economy grew 2.1% last year, largely thanks to Tesla’s presence, but the political fallout from the factory continues to reverberate, with both the SPD and Green party facing criticism ahead of the vote.
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