Germany: Elon Musk recommends AfD

Shortly before the federal election, US billionaire Elon Musk intervened in German domestic politics with a recommendation for the AfD. “Only the AfD can save Germany,” he wrote on his short message service X on Friday night.

The party, which is partly right-wing extremist, immediately took up Musk's statement for advertising purposes. Representatives of other parties expressed alarm and demanded consequences. However, the federal government did not want to evaluate Musk's statement.

Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz said 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.” The democratic parties in Germany all see it differently than Musk. According to deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann, the federal government does not plan to close its accounts with X following Musk's statement.

AfD leader Alice Weidel wrote to Musk addressed to X: “You are absolutely right.” In a video recorded later, she thanked Musk and also wished US President Trump all the best for his next term in office. The AfD, for its part, posted on X: “If you also want to save Germany, then join in and fill out the membership application right away.”

“Alarming”, “unacceptable” and “incendiary”

SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch was concerned: “No outside interference in the German election campaign,” he told the t-online portal. It is “an alarming signal” when Musk speaks in favor of the AfD. “Germany needs neither foreign influences nor Trumpism.” Musk should stay out of German politics.

It is “threatening, irritating and unacceptable that a key figure in the future US government is interfering in the German election campaign,” said the head of the CDU workers’ wing, Dennis Radtke, to the “Handelsblatt”. Musk is becoming more and more “a threat to democracy in the Western world”. He “converted X into a disinformation slingshot”.

Left leader Jan van Aken called Musk “extremely dangerous”. “You have to stop him,” he wrote on X. “X has to finally get out of Europe!”

Lindner offers meetings

FDP leader Christian Lindner wrote to Musk on Musk should “not jump to conclusions from a distance.”

The FDP leader, for his part, offered Musk a meeting. Lindner pointed out that it was he who started “a political debate” that was “inspired by ideas from you and (Argentina's President Javier) Milei.” Lindner had named Musk and Milei as possible role models for Germany's reform.

“Manic commenting”

Musk repeatedly intervenes in political debates in EU countries. The Austrian daily newspaper “Die Presse” writes about manic behavior. In November, Musk called Chancellor Scholz a “fool” on X. He briefly called on Italy to fire the judges who had initially legally stopped the placement of migrants from Italy in a camp in Albania. According to media reports, the richest person in the world is also planning a large donation to the right-wing extremist British party Reform UK.

Deputy government spokeswoman Hoffmann did not respond on Friday to the question of whether the federal government wanted to ask the EU Commission to investigate Musk's behavior. She finally referred to the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) “only in general” and not to the specific case. It also sets guidelines for how online platforms must behave in election campaigns. In the event of violations, the EU Commission must take action.

AFP/nag

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