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Germany's Left Party opposes Volkswagen-Rafael military plan in Osnabrück
Germany's Left Party has opposed a plan to convert Volkswagen's factory in Osnabrück into a military equipment production site in cooperation with Israel's state-owned Rafael. Lower Saxony could invest at least 200 million euros in the project, while Volkswagen's supervisory board could decide on it on September 4.
Plans to use Volkswagen's factory in Osnabrück, Germany, to produce military equipment with Israel's state-owned Rafael have reignited security and defense debates in Europe and drawn opposition from the Left Party.
Thomas Gross, the Left Party's candidate in next month's Osnabrück mayoral election, criticized Volkswagen's management over the proposal. Gross also objected to leaving the futures of thousands of factory workers uncertain.
Osnabrück's legacy as a city of peace highlighted
Gross said the planned cooperation with an Israeli state-owned company was incompatible with Osnabrück's tradition as a “City of Peace.” He highlighted the city's historical legacy as the birthplace of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which laid the foundations of modern international law.
Gross argued that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was responsible for numerous war crimes in Gaza and said international human rights organizations had classified these actions as genocide.
Left Party calls for civilian production to continue
Gross said civilian production in Osnabrück could be preserved without converting the facility into a defense plant. He said the Left Party supported producing minibuses at the factory, which are urgently needed for public transportation in rural areas.
Gross said climate protection and efforts to adapt to climate change were more urgent than directing billions of euros toward military capacity, adding that these areas should be given priority.
Lower Saxony model proposed for partnership
Volkswagen, the state of Lower Saxony and Rafael are close to reaching an agreement to produce military equipment at the factory. Under one of the proposed models, Volkswagen would transfer parts of the facility to Lower Saxony, which would then establish a joint venture with Rafael.
Lower Saxony could invest at least 200 million euros in the project, while Volkswagen's supervisory board could decide on the matter on September 4.
Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, Volkswagen's third-largest shareholder, vetoed an earlier draft of the defense partnership in July. The new model is intended to overcome Qatar's objections by eliminating direct cooperation between Volkswagen and Rafael.
Car production expected to end after 2027
Volkswagen had previously confirmed that it was holding talks with several defense companies about the Osnabrück factory. Car production at the facility is planned to end after 2027.
Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume previously said that any involvement by the company would cover military transport vehicles, not weapons production.
Talks with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are focused on producing support components for the Iron Dome missile defense system, including heavy transport trucks, launch units and power generators.
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