East Germans Taking Over Executive Positions?
In a recent analysis by the Elite Monitor of the Universities of Leipzig, Jena, and the University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz, it has been revealed that the underrepresentation of East Germans in leadership positions across various sectors continues to be a significant issue in Germany. The data, presented at an event in Leipzig in the spring, shows that two-thirds of the positions observed have been newly filled since 2018. However, the search results do not provide specific company-level data detailing which large German companies have no or only one executive from East Germany in 2024. The federal government has set itself the goal of increasing the share of East Germans in leadership positions, but the results suggest that this objective has not been achieved in top management level. The share of native East Germans in top management level decreased from 6.8% to 3.7% between 2018 and 2024. This decrease is observed across all sectors, including the economy, where the share of East Germans in leadership positions decreased from 5.1% to 4.0%. In culture, the share of East German leaders decreased from 9.3% to 6.8%. The exception is politics, where the share of East Germans was 21.4% in 2024, up from 19.9% in 2018. The federal government's efforts appear to have a more significant impact on middle management levels than on top management levels. The share of East Germans in leadership positions in higher federal authorities increased from 11.9% to 12.6%. In top federal authorities, the share increased from 13.9% in 2022 to 15.5%. However, the share of native East Germans in top management level is significantly lower than their representation in the population, which is around 20%. Without Berlin, the share of native East Germans in top management level decreased to 1.9%. The results highlight the need for more targeted efforts to increase the representation of native East Germans in top management level. The decrease in the share of native East Germans in top management level may indicate a challenge in diversifying top leadership in East Germany. Elisabeth Kaiser, the East German Affairs Commissioner, reported that the share of East Germans in management positions increased from 10.9% to 12.1% from 2018 to 2024. Despite this increase, the share of native East Germans in leadership positions is still below their representation in the population. The underrepresentation of East Germans in leadership positions is a complex issue that requires continued attention and action from both the private and public sectors. The data presented by the Elite Monitor provides valuable insights into the current state of representation and can guide future efforts to address this issue.
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