Elon Musk, the billionaire tech mogul and CEO of X (formerly Twitter), has ignited a political firestorm in Germany by openly endorsing the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the country’s federal elections scheduled for February 23.
In a guest opinion piece published in Welt am Sonntag, Musk described the AfD as “Germany’s last hope,” praising the party’s stance on regulation, taxes, and market deregulation. The article has drawn sharp criticism, leading to the resignation of the newspaper’s commentary editor in protest.
A German government spokesperson confirmed on Monday that Musk’s public comments and X posts constitute an attempt to influence the election, stating, “Freedom of opinion also covers the greatest nonsense.” Despite the harsh critique, the spokesperson acknowledged Musk’s right to express his views.
Musk’s endorsement comes at a politically sensitive time, as Germans prepare to vote following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government. The AfD, currently polling in second place, poses a significant challenge to Germany’s mainstream parties, which have vowed not to cooperate with the far-right group at the national level.
The AfD has been under scrutiny by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency for alleged ties to extremist movements. A government representative slammed Musk’s support, calling it “a recommendation to vote for a party being monitored for right-wing extremism.”
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