Volkswagen’s largest restructuring has placed Olaf Lies, premier of Lower Saxony and a member of the carmaker’s supervisory board, in a political bind. Lies supported a plan that could result in well over 100,000 layoffs across the group, arguing that rejecting an agreement with management could have exposed Volkswagen to even greater risks as it faces Chinese competition and U.S. tariffs. Lower Saxony owns a 20% stake in Volkswagen, hosts its headquarters and six plants, and appoints two members to the company’s 20-member supervisory board. The decision comes as the far-right Alternative für Deutschland gains ground ahead of municipal elections and next year’s state election. The AfD blames political intervention and policies including the European Union’s 2035 combustion-engine phase-out for the auto industry’s problems, while criticizing Lies, the SPD and IG Metall. Under current cost targets, Volkswagen could eliminate another 50,000 jobs, and four plants face possible closure in the 2030s. Lies said the restructuring preserved the state’s influence and created more time to seek alternatives for the threatened facilities. Analysts expect at least two plants to close, with disputes likely to continue into next year’s election campaign.