DPA
Hildegard Müller: The 52-year-old is considered to be very well connected in the CDU and maintains a good contact with the Greens, in addition, she is familiar with lobbying
The former CDU politician Hildegard Müller is to become the new head of the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). This report several media consistently citing industrial circles. However, the VDA presidency still had to agree.
The 52-year-old is considered well-connected in the CDU – she was Minister of State in the Federal Chancellery of Angela Merkel. In addition, she is familiar with alternative propulsion systems: Until October, Müller was network manager at the RWE subsidiary Innogy Show stock market chart responsible for the charging infrastructure of electric cars. Your contact with the Greens is therefore also considered good. That could help, if it comes at the federal level after the next election to a black-green coalition. Lobbying is also no stranger to the graduate in business administration: from 2008 to 2016, she was the CEO of the Federal Association for Energy and Water Management.
In addition to Müller, the former Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Günther Oettinger, was last named as a candidate. Even Sigmar Gabriel, former foreign and economic minister, should take over the job – he waved off in early November,
The post of the top lobbyist of auto industry must be re-staffed after the former Ford manager Bernhard Mattes in September just during the motor show IAA in Frankfurt announced his resignation would have. Mattes had been criticized by the major automakers and suppliers for some time because he lacked the necessary political contacts. He was only since March 2018 VDA president, his term actually ran until the end of 2020.
The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) is one of the most influential lobbying associations in Germany, the automotive industry with more than 800,000 direct employees a key industry. The association is considered to be difficult to manage because it must reconcile the various interests of manufacturers and suppliers. The auto industry has been under pressure for years because of the diesel scandal. Another major topic is the climate debate and the targeted conversion of car traffic towards e-mobility.
mg / dpa