Stand: December 21, 2024, 5:05 a.m
Von: Felix Durach, Felix Busjaeger
PressSplit
Elon Musk is getting involved in the election campaign before the federal election and is promoting the AfD. The reactions followed quickly – a boycott of Tesla was also called for.
Update from December 20th, 6:59 p.m.: In response to Elon Musk's election call for the AfD, the SPD parliamentary group in the Bavarian state parliament deleted its X account. SPD parliamentary group leader Holger Grießhammer said: “I see no reason to stay on X and have already deleted my personal account as well as that of the parliamentary group.” His four deputies would do the same. In any case, X is “a haven for hatred and disinformation,” said the head of the smallest parliamentary group in the Bavarian state parliament.
When asked about Musk's post, SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously said that freedom of expression also applies to multi-billionaires. The Chancellor wants to stay at X.
Update from December 20th, 5:57 p.m.: After US billionaire Elon Musk's supportive post for the AfD, CDU MEPs are calling on the EU Commission to investigate the visibility of his posts on Platform X. Numerous users reported that they regularly see Musk's content in their feeds without following him or actively engaging with his posts, write Daniel Caspary, chairman of the CDU/CSU group in the EU Parliament, and MEP Andreas Schwab in a letter which is available to the dpa. “This raises fundamental questions about the transparency and neutrality of the recommendation algorithms used by X.”
Weidel cheers over Musk support
Election campaign for the AfD: Weidel sends video message to Musk – “that’s embarrassing”
Update from December 20th, 4:55 p.m.: There are now numerous reactions to Musk's AfD post. AfD chancellor candidate Alice Weidel even responded with a video message to Musk, wishing the Tesla boss and Donald Trump a merry Christmas and a good start to the coming term. Left-wing politician Janine Wissler commented, among other things, on Lindner's reaction: “My goodness, that's embarrassing,” she wrote and criticized the fact that the FDP leader was “so bugging Elon Musk.”
Meanwhile, Elon Musk himself posts further messages on
Reaction to Musk's AfD post: German politicians go to the barricades
First report: Berlin – Is this the next scandal before the federal election? After the traffic light broke and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) failed with his vote of confidence, Germany is heading towards new elections in spring 2025. The parties are sort of fast-tracking their agenda, vying for voters' favor and working through the political competition.
Now, two months before the federal election, US billionaire Elon Musk has intervened in the election campaign and campaigned for the AfD. The reactions to the Musk post didn't take long to arrive – AfD candidate for chancellor cheers, FDP leader Lindner invites the Trump confidant to a personal meeting. Musk also shared a video from right-wing extremist influencer Naomi Seibt to accompany his recommendation.
Musk reports with AfD mail: Reactions from politicians follow immediately
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” Musk wrote on X a few weeks before the federal election. The right-wing party’s candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, reacted happily: “Yes! You’re absolutely right, Elon Musk!” Within a few hours, Musk’s statement spread on social media. This is not the first time that the tech billionaire has interfered in Germany's politics. Among other things, he once insulted former Chancellor Angela Merkel and also insulted Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He also showed that he has sympathy for the AfD after the European elections. The party is described as right-wing extremist, “but the political positions of the AfD that I have read about do not sound extremist,” he wrote at the time.
The reactions to Musk's AfD posting followed immediately. The Trump confidant's statements were actively debated on X and LinkedIn – and even called for a boycott of Tesla, among other things. Other users also want to turn their backs on X for good and point out the absurd connections. Fabian Mehring, State Minister for Digital Affairs and member of the Bavarian State Parliament, wrote that he would be leaving X. He points out that Musk is campaigning for a party that denies climate change and agitates against electric cars. “That’s why I’m drawing the conclusions from Elon Musk’s drift into the world of swearers and political profiteers and concentrating on other platforms in the future,” the politician said loudly DPA.
Reactions on AfD-Posting von Elon Musk
Tesla boycott and resistance because of Musk's AfD post: reactions from politicians
But other politicians are also forming resistance against the Tesla boss. Lindner clarified in a post in response to Musk: “While migration control is crucial for Germany, the AfD is against freedom and economics – and it is a right-wing extremist party. Don't jump to conclusions from afar.” At the same time, he offered to meet Musk so that the FDP leader could show what his party stands for before the federal election.
Other users expressed concern in their reactions about Musk's influence on German politics and referred to developments in the USA in recent months. Opposite Bild Health Minister Karl Lauterbach spoke of “unworthy and highly problematic” behavior and election interference in Germany. His demand: to closely monitor Musk's activities. “It is very worrying how Platform X, which I use intensively myself, is increasingly being used to spread Mr. Musk’s political positions and goals,” said the SPD politician.
Musk calls out X to choose the AfD on
Freedom of expression also applies to multi-billionaires: Scholz reacts to Musk's AfD post
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch was horrified in his reaction to Musk: “No outside interference in the German election campaign – that is a principle that we must defend.” Opposite t-online He made it clear that the AfD would prove again and again “that it is not acting in the interests of our country.” How Welt writes, the federal government did not want to evaluate Musk's comment. “We have of course taken note of this and of course freedom of expression also applies to X,” deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann is quoted as saying.
SPD member of the Bundestag Axel Schäfer also responded to Elon Musk's AfD posting. Opposite that Daily Mirror said the politician: “We are very close to the Americans, but now bravery in front of our friend is required. We prohibit any interference in our election campaign.” Musk is a “threat to democracy in the Western world,” said Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU workers’ wing and EU parliamentarian, in the Handelsblatt. At a press conference in Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said in response to a question from journalists that freedom of expression also applies to multi-billionaires. This also means “that you can say things that are not correct and do not contain good political advice.” (fbu)
