Government Ownership and subsidies play a factor too - ~12% of equity and 20% of voting shares is owned by the State of Lower Saxony [0][1]. This ownership by a state with 10% of Bundestag has helped VW leverage Germany’s powerful status within the EU [2] and the same dual structure mentioned above did have an effect in enabling Dieselgate [3]

[0] - https://www.volkswagenag.com/en/InvestorRelations/shares/sha...

[1] - https://www.wardsauto.com/lower-saxony-buys-vw-shares-keep-2...

[2] - https://www.reuters.com/article/volkswagen-emissions-germany...

[3] - https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article...