Elon Musk endorses Germany's AfD, stirs political backlash
Following President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's decision to dissolve the Bundestag, Germany is anticipating new elections. The campaign is already in full swing, and Elon Musk, the billionaire and close advisor to President-elect Donald Trump, has decided to express his opinion. In the German newspaper "Welt am Sonntag," he endorsed the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), sparking numerous controversies.
Elon Musk was an ardent supporter of Donald Trump during the race for the White House. The billionaire, who has significant investments in the USA and Germany (including a Tesla factory near Berlin), decided to take a stand on the future of Germany. In December, he posted on X praising the AfD, stating, "Only the AfD can save Germany."
In the newspaper "Welt am Sonntag" (part of Axel Springer along with "Bild"), he elaborated on his opinion.
Musk, AfD, and the free economy
"Germany has comfortably settled in mediocrity. It's high time for bold changes, and the AfD is the only party that offers this possibility," he wrote. The billionaire supports the party because it understands that economic freedom is "not only desirable but absolutely necessary."
"Their approach to reducing excessive government regulation, lowering taxes, and deregulating the market reflects the principles that have ensured the success of Tesla and SpaceX," he added.
Musk also mocked the accusations of extremism against the party. "The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!" he wrote.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has a different view, considering the party a suspected case of right-wing extremism.
Musk supports AfD, politicians comment
Politicians responded to Musk's statement, including the Secretary General of the Social Democratic SPD, Matthias Miersch. He expressed his outrage in an interview with the newspaper "Handelsblatt," emphasizing that one should not accept a situation where foreign billionaires try to interfere in German politics and support groups that undermine the country's democratic values.
The leader of the CDU and candidate for the next Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, also spoke out. He stressed that the planned departure of the AfD from the European Union would have serious consequences for the German economy and labor market, including the key automotive sector. "Elon Musk's electoral appeal goes too far and is arrogant," he assessed.
Dispute in the editorial office
The billionaire's comments also caused disputes in the newspaper's editorial office. As a sign of protest, the head of the opinion section of "Die Welt" and "Welt am Sonntag," Eva Marie Kogel, resigned.
Amid numerous controversies and questions about the article's origin, the editor-in-chief of the "Welt" group, Ulf Poschardt, and his successor, Burgard, issued a joint statement. "Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of speech. This includes dealing with polarizing positions and their journalistic classification," they wrote.
The elections in Germany will take place on February 23, 2025. According to the latest polls, support for the AfD stands at about 20 percent, placing this far-right party in second place in public opinion rankings.
Sources: Bild, Deutsche Welle, Reuters
