(L-R) The chairwoman of IG Metall union Christiane Benner, the chairwoman of the General and Group Works Councils of Volkswagen Daniela Cavallo and the IG Metall regional leader for Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, hold a banner as they march on the grounds of the headquarters of German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) on the day of the supervisory board meeting, in Wolfsburg, Germany, on July 9, 2026. IG Metall is organising protests by VW workers outside plants across the country on July 9, when the carmaker's bosses will present the restructuring plans to the supervisory board. Europe's largest carmaker has come under intense pressure from US tariffs, slimmer profit margins from electric cars and above all intense competition in China, the world's largest auto market. VW, whose 10 brands range from mass-market Seats to premium Porsches, is already in the process of axing 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030, including 35,000 at its namesake marque. (Photo by Lisi Niesner / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)