Elon Musk has caused outrage in Germany by publicly backing the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The Tesla billionaire called the AfD the country’s “last vestige of hope” and invited its leader Alice Weidel to a live chat on X ahead of the general election in February.
His comments have sparked backlash, with critics accusing him of interfering in German politics.
The Green Party’s Robert Habeck sent a furious warning to Musk, telling Der Spiegel: “Hands off our democracy, Mr. Musk!”
Opposition leader Friedrich Merz also called Musk’s remarks “intrusive and pretentious”.
Musk’s endorsement came in the form of an editorial in Die Welt am Sonntag, a conservative newspaper, where he praised the AfD’s anti-immigration and low-tax policies, claiming they could stop Germany from “becoming a shadow of its former self.”
The piece caused an uproar, leading the newspaper’s opinion editor to resign.
The AfD, often criticised for its links to far-right rhetoric, is monitored by Germany’s security service as a “suspected extremist group”.
While the party describes itself as “conservative,” members have been embroiled in controversies.
For example, earlier this year, one senior figure was fined for using language linked to Nazi-era slogans, The Telegraph reported.
Despite the controversies, the AfD has been polling at 19%, making it the second most popular party in Germany. But mainstream political parties have all ruled out forming a coalition with them.
Nonetheless, critics now worry that Musk’s influence could normalise the AfD for voters.
Thorsten Benner, the Head of Berlin’s Global Public Policy Institute, said: “If the world’s richest man and member of the Trump administration is calling for an extreme Right-wing party in Germany to come to power, that’s a big deal.”
The AfD’s policies focus on limiting immigration, cutting taxes, and reintroducing nuclear power.
Source : https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1996429/elon-musk-germany-warning-afd-backing
