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German chemical giant BASF in Ludwigshafen, western Germany, on April 20, 2026. [AFP]
Germany's industrial decline is taking a painful toll on communities that have long relied on local manufacturing titans for jobs, prosperity and a sense of a secure future.
Among the places affected by the downturn is Ludwigshafen, a company town of chemical giant BASF, which has shed thousands of jobs while shifting its focus to China.
"The mood is obviously not good," Sinischa Horvat, chairman of BASF's works council, which represents staff interests, told AFP during a visit to the city of about 175,000 people.
