The classification of the AfD as far-right “is clearly false”, asserts Elon Musk, relying on the fact that its leader Alice Weidel “has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka”.
In the column, the richest man in the world is however contradicted by the new editor-in-chief of Die Welt, Jan Philipp Burgard, for whom “even a genius can make a mistake”.
The AfD “is a danger to our values and our economy”
The AfD “is a danger for our values and our economy”, affirms the journalist, recalling that another leader of the party, Björn Höcke, “has been condemned several times for having used a banned Nazi slogan”.
This cross-post follows a controversial tweet published on December 20 by Elon Musk, in which he wrote that “only the AfD” could “save Germany”.
This declaration created unease in the country in the middle of the campaign for the early elections in February. The AfD is credited with an average of 19% of voting intentions in the polls.
In addition to Ms. Kogel’s resignation, Elon Musk’s pro-AfD column once again sparked outraged reactions.
“We must not allow the Elon Musks of this world, the Chinese state or the Russian troll factories to undermine our democracies in Europe,” criticized Andreas Audretsch, campaign director of the Greens.
The Association of German Journalists (DJV) protested against the “election advertising” permitted by the editorial staff of Die Welt.
“The German media must not allow themselves to be manipulated as the mouthpiece of autocrats and their friends,” criticizes its leader Mika Beuster.
Die Welt belongs to the Axel Springer press group, the most influential in Germany, which also includes the tabloid Bild, the country’s most widely read.
