Volkswagen: CEO Oliver Blume is preparing a massive restructuring and a power struggle within the company

Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume is not simply launching a sweeping cost-cutting plan. According to several sources, his restructuring project could also fundamentally redefine the balance of power within the German automaker, at a time when the company is going through a period of significant turbulence.

The manufacturer, the leading automaker in Europe, is indeed planning a transformation of historic proportions, including up to 100,000 job cuts and the closure of four factories in Germany. These measures come amid increased pressure from tariffs, rising production costs, and increasingly aggressive Asian competition.

At the same time, Volkswagen is considering a reorganization of its operations, including a separation between its passenger car division and its components division. Such a restructuring could have major consequences for the group's governance and the influence of its various shareholders.

However, this project faces significant structural constraints. The Volkswagen Law, which strengthens the role of unions and the State of Lower Saxony (holding approximately 20% of the voting rights), limits management's ability to make certain strategic decisions, particularly the closure of factories.

According to several sources in the financial and legal sectors, a split of operations could partially circumvent these restrictions. By isolating certain divisions, management would seek to gain greater flexibility in the group's industrial operations.

But this strategy risks provoking a direct confrontation with unions and political representatives. The powerful IG Metall union has already denounced these plans, calling them an "attack on the Volkswagen law," foreshadowing a major social and institutional showdown in Germany.

In a context of profound transformation of the global automotive industry, Volkswagen is thus embarking on a high-risk strategy, between imperatives of competitiveness and internal tensions over the governance of the group.