Germany news: State premier visits VW for crisis talks

Germany news: State premier visits VW for crisis talks August 24, 2026What you need to know Here is a roundup of top stories from and about Germany on Monday, August 24, 2026: - Lower Saxony's state premier is meeting VW worker representatives, unions and local management - The struggling carmaker says it is facing pressure to cut costs while protecting jobs - Conservative Christian Democrat leaders are meeting after the summer break - The meeting follows tensions over Merz's July reshuffle and upcoming state elections Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add DW as a Preferred Source on Google. State government visits VW plant amid jobs fears Lower Saxony state premier Olaf Lies is due to visit Volkswagen's Hanover plant for talks on the future of the struggling carmaker. Lies, a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party, was invited by Volkswagen's general works council and is expected to meet employee representatives, staff delegates and local plant management. The talks are expected to focus on Volkswagen's restructuring plans and the future of its German production sites. Afterward, Lies is due to brief the media alongside Lower Saxony deputy state premier Julia Willie Hamburg of the Green Party, works council chief Daniela Cavallo and representatives of the IG Metall trade union. The state of Lower Saxony holds a 20% ownership stake in the Volkswagen Group. Lies is also planning visits to VW plants in Osnabrück and Emden, while talks with representatives of the Zwickau factory in the eastern state of Saxony are expected to take place online. Volkswagen is trying to cut costs and improve competitiveness, raising concerns over jobs and the future of several plants. Workers, unions and politicians are seeking assurances over tens of thousands of jobs. Welcome to our coverage Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn. You join us as Lower Saxony Premier Olaf Lies is set to visit Volkswagen's Hanover plant for talks on the future of the struggling carmaker. He was invited by VW’s general works council. VW is trying to cut costs and improve competitiveness, but workers, unions and politicians are seeking assurances over tens of thousands of jobs. Meanwhile, the leadership of Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union is meeting for its first regular talks since the summer break. Stay with us here for these stories and more of what Germany is talking about today.