Battle Over Steel: Laumann Stands Firm Against State Intervention at Thyssenkrupp
Laumann Challenges Staats in Thyssenkrupp's Activities - Resistant to Merger: Laumann's Stance on Thyssenkrupp Combination
In the midst of a steel crisis, North Rhine-Westphalia's Labour Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) is firm in his beliefs; state involvement in industrial behemoth Thyssenkrupp isn't the future. He contends that giving the state control through shares, board seats, or subsidies won't make domestic steel competitive. Laumann voiced these thoughts during a contentious debate at Düsseldorf's state parliament.
Opposition Roars: Funding vs. Job Cuts
The SPD, FDP, and AfD parties are left bewildered. How can Thyssenkrupp announce 11,000 job cuts while the state government boasts a €700 million grant for a reduction plant—a record in state history—without demanding any guarantees in return? Jochen Ott (SPD) lashed out, accusing the government of approving the grant without demanding co-determination, location guarantees, or job guarantees. "You claim you couldn’t, but the truth is, you didn’t even try," Ott fired back.
Laumann Steps In: Change Must Come
Laumann concedes that changes are in order at Thyssenkrupp, but only through cooperation between the company and employees. "Lately, trust has vanished," Laumann noted. Green party leader Wibke Brems also criticized Thyssenkrupp's opaque communication, but urged the state government to stay out of business decisions.
FDP Goes Ham on Green Economy Minister
FDP leader Henning Höne lambasted the entire economic policy of the black-green state government, citing recent economic forecasts as evidence of government mismanagement.
Industry Struggles: Global Challenges
Neubauer admits that the industry is in crisis, yet insists the energy costs cannot be changed by the state government. Both CDU and FDP point to challenging global economic and political conditions, with Untrieser highlighting that NRW's steel industry is hit hard by global overproduction and low-cost imports from other nations.
AfD members claim that "climate hysteria" and ensuing regulations are leading NRW and Germany over the edge. Loose calls for scrapping carbon fees on steel and electricity production to stop the decline in domestic industry.
- ThyssenKrupp
- Steel
- Karl-Josef Laumann
- State Intervention
- CDU
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- State Participation
- NRW
- Industrial Conglomerate
- SPD
- FDP
- AfD
- Düsseldorf
- Job Cuts
- Corporate Restructuring
- Opposition Parties
Insights:- Laumann has not issued a recent, specific stance on state intervention in Thyssenkrupp or on the implications for corporate restructuring and job cuts as of June 2025. [1]- Laumann's general approach aligns with CDU policies supportive of social dialogue and preserving jobs. [1]
Endnotes:[1] Various news sources, as of June 8, 2025.
- In the face of opposition parties demanding guarantees for co-determination, location, and job security, Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU), North Rhine-Westphalia's Labour Minister, maintains that employment policy should focus on cooperation between the company and employees, rather than state intervention through shares, board seats, or subsidies.
- Laumann's finance strategy for Thyssenkrupp, a major industrial conglomerate, prioritizes maintaining competitive standards for the steel industry, contrary to the SPD, FDP, and AfD's advocacy for state participation during rigorous debates at Düsseldorf's state parliament.
