Controversy in Germany –
Musk insults Steinmeier and is harshly criticized for it
The US tech billionaire calls the German President “an anti-democratic tyrant”. The AfD holds out the prospect of direct contact between Musk and Alice Weidel.
Markus Balser ,
Robert Rossmann
Published today at 4:37 p.m
Get involved in Germany and celebrate New Year’s Eve with the Trumps: Elon Musk with his son X at a reception in Mar-a-Lago. Most recently, he repeatedly had himself photographed with his four-year-old.
Foto: Getty Images via AFP
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- Elon Musk criticized Frank-Walter Steinmeier as an anti-democratic tyrant on Platform X.
- Nancy Faeser warned against equating discussions on platforms with public concerns.
- The SPD criticized Musk for disrespectful attacks on democratic values and institutions.
- The AfD shows interest in further cooperation with Musk and his support.
The sharp personal attack by the American multi-billionaire Elon Musk on Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has caused considerable anger in Berlin. Musk had written on his platform X: “Steinmeier is an anti-democratic tyrant.” He should be ashamed.
The German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that “some discussions on Platform X should not be confused with what really concerns the vast majority of people in our country.” She is certain that “Mr. Musk’s statements will cause the vast majority of people who even deal with it to shake their heads and reject it.” But it is also clear: “If the Federal President of our democratic state is described as an anti-democratic tyrant, then that is not only gross nonsense, but also a defamation that must be rejected very clearly.”
Elon Musk “obviously enjoyed destabilizing liberal democracies and strengthening politically extreme right-wing parties and politicians,” said Green Party deputy Konstantin von Notz. He called for a debate about the power of social platforms. After Nazi rule, Germany established a system that was intended to prevent the “harmonizing of public discourse” by individual parties or financially powerful actors. Now there are attempts to destroy this system.
The First Parliamentary Managing Director of the SPD parliamentary group, Katja Mast, said that “instead of acting with decency and respect,” Musk “attacked the Federal President cheaply and disrespectfully; his statements reflect a disregard for democratic values.” In doing so, Musk is trampling on all manners of our democracy. Such statements are “not only inappropriate, but also inflammatory.”
The Federal President’s Office is cautious
The Union faction said on Wednesday that they were very surprised about the attack on the Federal President. It was also pointed out that CDU leader Friedrich Merz had already sharply criticized Musk’s election recommendation for the AfD last Sunday. The Federal President’s Office reacted cautiously. A spokeswoman said that Steinmeier had “noted” Musk’s comment, but would not comment on it.
In a short speech last Friday, the Federal President not only announced that he had dissolved the Bundestag and called new elections. He also used the appearance to make some basic comments on how the election campaign should be conducted. In this context, Steinmeier said that he expected the election campaign to be conducted using fair and “transparent means”. External influence is “a danger to democracy – be it covert, as was recently the case in the elections in Romania, or open and blatant, as is currently being carried out particularly intensively on Platform X”. He therefore “decisively opposes all external attempts to influence – the voting decision is made solely by the citizens in Germany who are entitled to vote”.
This assessment of Platform X was the trigger for Musk’s criticism of Steinmeier. In November, the billionaire had already insulted Chancellor Olaf Scholz. At that time he wrote on X: “Olaf is a fool.” The billionaire is considered a close advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump.
Regular exchange between AfD and Musk
The AfD was satisfied with Musk’s behavior. The US billionaire’s team and the team of AfD leader Alice Weidel are “in regular contact,” Weidel’s spokesman told “Spiegel”. Musk had already “been interested in the AfD program a few months ago”. There has not yet been a personal meeting or phone call between Musk and Weidel. But that will definitely change soon. This could be a live X-Space with Musk and Weidel – i.e. a live audio conversation on Musk’s Platform X.
In his New Year’s speech, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) accused Musk of strengthening those who weaken Europe. “When Elon Musk – equipped not only with billions and billions, but also with unbridled communication power – calls for the AfD to be elected in Germany, it is not out of ignorance of the AfD, it has logic and a system,” said Habeck. In his New Year’s speech, Chancellor Scholz said, alluding to Musk’s election campaign, that in Germany the citizens decide what happens next, “the owners of social media do not decide that.”
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