Reactions to U.S. Election U.S. an important partner for the region
Bonn · First reactions from the business sector of Bonn and the region included everything from downright skepticism to cautious optimism.
“For transatlantic economic ties, this is certainly not a good result,” reacted Hubertus Hille to the results of the U.S. Presidential election. Hille is the Managing Director of the Bonn/Rhine-Sieg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and he believes it is difficult to predict how Trump will act. What’s for sure is the importance of the U.S. when it comes to the economy in this region. Of the 712 firms here which have majority stakeholders from outside of Germany, twelve percent of them are American.
Bayer CEO Werner Baumann talked about new challenges awaiting President-elect Trump; “For example, it’s now about further strengthening the partnership of the USA and the EU.” Trade relationships are important for the well-being on both sides of the Atlantic. As CEO of a major chemical and pharmaceutical company, he also wants to see the health system develop so that more patients in the U.S. receive access to “new and innovative therapies.”
Deutsche Post reacted with cautious optimism. “Our firm is growing in the U.S. and we would like to maintain this development also after the U.S. election,” said spokesperson Dirk Klasen. The goal is to keep driving global trade. “We are convinced that the USA will also play a constructive role in the future,” he said.
Telekom CEO Timotheus Höttges had said on Monday that we would be able to see if the age of the post-factual world became clear in the U.S. election. The term “post-factual” has been used throughout the election and implies putting feelings above facts.
For Bonn Solar World AG, the U.S. is an important market. Founder and Chief Executive Frank Asbeck doesn’t see his business in danger, even though Trump has denied climate change. He believes the recent strong growth in solar power will continue regardless of the presidential election because there is an economic necessity for solar energy, cheap and independent.
Bonn Professor and financial expert Isabel Schnabel views the election results with more skepticism. She sees the American economy facing many challenges because of the slowing economy but doesn’t believe more protectionism, limits on migration and a deregulation of the financial system will solve the problems. She hopes the American system of “checks and balances” will help set limits to the politics of the new president.
Orig. text: Claudia Mahnke, Delphine Sachsenröder
