Volkswagen – Piëch has to go – or not – Süddeutsche.de

• After the heavy defeat in the showdown with Martin Winterkorn, VW chief inspector Ferdinand Piëch learns suddenly support from several sides.
• Previously, there was wild speculation that the patriarch it should be sacked Group .
• Now imagine the former IG Metall leader and VW board Berthold Huber and the Niedersächsische state government surprisingly behind Piëch.
• In the Group scares in front of a crowd and a power vacuum wide.

By Thomas Fromm, Marcel Grzanna, Max Hägler

bustle in Shanghai, where the VW Group celebrates its mandatory eve party to the auto show. Until the early afternoon it was believed here, ER would come. Martin Winterkorn and his first appearance after the showdown in the VW Executive Committee, that crisis meeting on Thursday evening, was where the majority of the supervisory boards propped against her chief inspector Ferdinand Piëch and voted for the whereabouts of their manager. The usual party program with plenty of laser was prepared, then against 14 clock Local news: Winterkorn is not on display. He stays at home.

“Mr. Winterkorn has opted for a flu infection to not travel to Asia,” VW said. A flu, something like this can happen after such a tumultuous week in which one of its own supervisory board chairman cold sets (“I am to distance Winterkorn”) and then have to save one of the other supervisory boards before the fall.

In any case, many wondered: Plays music during these hours do not always somewhere else than here in China? In the works in distant Wolfsburg? Or in Salzburg, at the headquarters of the owner Piëch and Porsche families

VW staff welcome whereabouts of winter grain on top management

Reactions of professionals, Exchange and VW workers in Wolfsburg on the news of the whereabouts of Winterkorn as CEO.

(Video: Reuters )

Even on Friday afternoon was a hint of revolution in the air. The night before the heavy defeat for Piëch, now took the first, the word “revolt” in the mouth. After Winterkorn now also a staff debate about the patriarch of the group? VW thriller, part two?

“The majority is against Piëch,” citing the B ild on Sunday a supervisory board. The old man had gone. Ten employee representatives on the supervisory committee, representatives of the state of Lower Saxony and the Porsche family – everyone should be united against the old patriarch. 14 votes against him. That would be enough to deselect Piëch by a two-thirds majority in the 20-member Supervisory Board.

The format, a 200-billion-euro Group to lead as chief inspector

But if it came so – who should be the successor to the chief inspector, if the king is overthrown? The item is still difficult to fill than to find a successor for the CEO Martin Winterkorn. Who has to keep the format, a 200-billion-euro Group as chief inspector and thereby also to decide on the future of senior management? The fear of chaos, a power vacuum is spreading. “Objectify” what everybody wanted the debate, it was said on Sunday afternoon from the camp of the two families. For the moment at least.

On 4 May board meeting at VW, the day after the general meeting of shareholders. Until then, insiders say could – in front of and behind the scenes – happen a lot

VW supervisory board Piëch defeat of his life

Martin Winterkorn is Volkswagen’s CEO. This news is as surprising as it is bitter for supervisory board chairman Ferdinand Piëch. Comment

On Sunday afternoon then assemble the first behind Piëch, the opponents of Thursday evening. “There is no reason to run the resignation of Dr. Piëch,” says the former IG Metall leader and VW board Berthold Huber. “We fully intend to continue with Dr. Piëch and Dr. Winterkorn the successful path of Volkswagen in the future.” And from the Lower Saxony state government says they will continue to work with both Piëch and with Winterkorn

Only backing for Winterkorn, now for Piëch -. And yet no one knows how a CEO to work in the coming months is when its chairman of the board no longer want him. In Shanghai VW China boss Jochem Heizmann on stage and says: “Of course it would be wrong to say that it does not create any trouble.”