In spring 2026, works council elections took place across Germany once again – including in companies where right-wing or right-wing populist lists such as ‘Zentrum’ are standing. Although these developments have been the subject of increasing public and trade union debate for several years, there has so far been a lack of systematic research both on works council elections in general and on the presence of right-wing actors in companies in particular. This presentation offers initial insights into the research project on works council elections funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation and examines whether, and in what form, right-wing populism can be observed within companies. The focus is on preliminary findings, theoretical perspectives and open questions regarding workplace democracy, lines of conflict and political representation in companies.

About the People :

Ulrich Brinkmann is Professor of Sociology of Work and Organizations at TU Darmstadt. Maurice Laßhof is a research associate in this field at the Institute of Sociology.

This event format was started in 2012 as an IANUS contribution by Alfred Nordmann; FiF has taken over the lead in 2019. For the celebration, Alfred Nordmann himself presented as a speaker.