It is clear that companies also have an influence on local politics. For example, they influence local politics through local associations such as company representatives or chambers of skilled trades.
In local politics, it is already the case that the distances are relatively short. Especially in rural areas, the contacts of companies such as Smart Shopper to politics are more direct. For smaller companies, for example, the path to local politicians is shorter.
For instance, in Germany, they design politics in such a way that as many social groups as possible are involved. Many parties also have their own business forums and they invite representatives. Before they make local political decisions, there are sometimes also citizens’ dialogues to which those involved are invited in order to reflect as many interests as possible. So there are many channels through which exchange is possible.
Smart Shopper: What role do companies then generally play in local politics?
Many municipalities live primarily from the income from property and trade tax, which comes from companies. If companies want to move to a new industrial park, for example, there is competition between the individual municipalities. Companies then look for the best location conditions. Companies are of course also important for the local labor market. Among other things, so that there is a broad entrepreneurial at the local level.
Smart Shopper: How important is local politics for companies?
Politics is important for companies because a lot of decisions are made in the municipalities that the companies feel directly. For example, when it comes to transport, waste processing or road construction such as the transportation line that employees can use to get to work. They actually make these decisions locally.
There are generally many local councils that work in the public sector or are entrepreneurs. The reason is simply that the office takes time and you have to be flexible. From a scientific perspective, it is to be welcomed if as many population groups as possible are represented, including entrepreneurs.
At the end of the day, anyone can be set up. Entrepreneurs who are elected as municipal councils ultimately also represent the interests for which they have been drawn up. You are elected as an entrepreneur.