WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - VW CEO Oliver Blume intends to promote democracy and diversity at a demonstration against right-wing extremism in Wolfsburg on Sunday (February 18). Blume will be one of the main speakers on the podium at a rally in front of the city hall, to which Volkswagen and its works council are also calling, alongside VW works council head Daniela Cavallo and Wolfsburg's mayor Dennis Weilmann (CDU), the organizers announced on Friday.

The demonstration under the motto "For Democracy and Cohesion" has been called by the alliance "Shoulder to Shoulder of Wolfsburg Democrats", which includes trade unions, churches, the CDU, SPD, FDP and Green parties as well as VfL Wolfsburg and Volkswagen and its works council. The organizers are expecting up to 15,000 participants.

"The Volkswagen Group and Porsche AG are aware of their social responsibility and stand for democratic cohesion," said Blume, who is also head of the sports car manufacturer Porsche, according to the press release. "In these challenging times, it is more important than ever to strengthen this cohesion. On February 18, we therefore want to take a clear stand together with many people on the town hall square in Wolfsburg: for diversity, democracy and an open-minded attitude." Works Council Chairwoman Cavallo said: "Values such as diversity, tolerance, openness to the world and working together as partners form the basis of our Group."

Following the announcement of a meeting between radical right-wingers and AfD politicians as well as individual members of the CDU and the very conservative Werteunion in Potsdam, several company bosses had already taken a stand against right-wing extremism and racism. "Now is the time to stand up," said railroad boss Richard Lutz in a recent interview with Bild. He himself had already taken part in several demonstrations against right-wing extremism in his private life, most recently at the large demonstration in Berlin on February 3. Unlike the VW boss now, however, he was not a speaker there./fjo/DP/nas