Elon Musk stirs German politics with controversial AfD endorsement
Following President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's decision to dissolve the Bundestag, Germany is gearing up for 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 was a strong supporter of Donald Trump during the race for the White House. The billionaire, who has numerous investments not only in the U.S. but also in 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 he believes 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 has 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 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.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU and candidate for the next Chancellor of Germany, 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 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, Ulf Poschardt, the editor-in-chief of the "Welt" group, 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 per cent, placing this far-right party second in public opinion rankings.
