German politicians vowed Monday to prevent Volkswagen from cutting 100,000 jobs, as Berlin confronts the scale of the country’s industrial woes.

The automaker’s reported planned layoffs and factory closures could amount to one of the biggest corporate reductions in history. It shows the “growing desperation” of Germany’s automotive sector, under pressure from Chinese competitors and US tariffs, Politico wrote.

But the plans could hit hurdles since state politicians and labor union representatives together make up a majority of VW’s supervisory board. The prospective cuts are the latest blow to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, which is broadly unpopular amid an ascendant far right.