Musk's AfD endorsement sparks uproar in German politics
Following President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's decision to dissolve the Bundestag, Germany is looking forward to 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), causing numerous controversies.
Elon Musk strongly supported Donald Trump during the White House race. The billionaire, who has numerous investments in the USA and Germany (including a Tesla factory near Berlin), decided to take a stand on Germany's future. In December, he posted on X praising the AfD. "Only the AfD can save Germany," he declared.
In the newspaper "Welt am Sonntag" (part of Axel Springer along with "Bild"), he expanded on his opinion.
Musk, AfD, and the free economy
"Germany has comfortably settled in mediocrity. It's high time for bold changes, and 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. "Portraying AfD as right-wing extremism is clearly false, considering that the party leader Alice Weidel has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka. Does that sound like Hitler? Come on!" he wrote.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution holds a different opinion, perceiving the party as a suspected case of right-wing extremism.
Musk supports AfD. Politicians comment
Politicians responded to Musk's statement, including the Social Democratic SPD's Secretary General, Matthias Miersch. In an interview with Handelsblatt newspaper, he expressed his outrage, 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 AfD from the European Union would have serious consequences for the German economy and labour 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 comment 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 polarising positions and their journalistic classification," they wrote.
The German elections will take place on 23 February 2025. According to the latest polls, the AfD has about 20 percent support, placing this far-right party second in public opinion rankings.
Sources: Bild, Deutsche Welle, Reuters
