Elon Musk, a close associate of US President-elect Donald Trump, lauded the AfD as Germany’s “last hope.”
The German government has accused Elon Musk of attempting to influence Germany’s upcoming federal election, slated for February 23rd. According to Christiane Hoffmann, a spokesperson for the German cabinet, Musk is allegedly attempting to garner public support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Musk sparked significant controversy in Germany after a recent X post declaring that “only the AfD can save Germany.” This was followed by an opinion piece in the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag where he defended the party against extremism accusations and praised its economic policies.
“Elon Musk is indeed attempting to influence the federal election through his statements,” Hoffmann stated on Monday. She emphasized that while freedom of speech protects the right to express any opinion, even what she called “the greatest nonsense,” it doesn’t exempt individuals from facing the consequences of their words.
Germany’s domestic intelligence service has classified the AfD as a “suspected” extremist organization due to its strong anti-immigration and anti-establishment stance. Currently polling second behind the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, the party is largely shunned by other major parties, who have ruled out forming coalitions with it.
In his op-ed, Musk rejected criticism of the AfD, claiming, “their portrayal as far-right is clearly false.”
“The traditional parties have failed Germany. Their policies have led to economic stagnation, social unrest, and an erosion of national identity,” Musk wrote. “Despite being labeled far-right, the AfD represents political realism that resonates with many Germans who feel their concerns are being ignored by the establishment.”
Friedrich Merz, the CDU/CSU alliance’s leading candidate and a potential future chancellor, called Musk’s involvement “intrusive and presumptuous.” He stated he couldn’t recall a similar instance of interference in a friendly nation’s electoral campaign. Lars Klingbeil, co-leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), compared Musk to Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting both are trying to weaken Germany by backing the AfD.
A three-way coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed in early November due to internal disagreements over spending. On December 16th, the German leader lost a confidence vote in the Bundestag, ending his minority government. A snap election is scheduled for February 23rd.
Founded in 2013, the AfD’s popularity has grown in recent years. According to a recent INSA poll for Bild, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel, 45, is leading in the race to become the next chancellor. Weidel is expected to be officially nominated as the AfD’s candidate at a party conference next month.