Elon Musk’s support for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on
advertiseElon Musk’s social media posts supporting Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party have sparked a backlash and accusations of election interference.
Musk wrote on his platform
Alternative for Germany’s chancellor candidate Alice Weidel warmly welcomed Musk’s support.
She responded: “Yes! You’re right, @elonmusk! Please check out my interview with President Trump, Merkel’s socialist legacy, the destructive Soviet Union, and Germany’s economic decline!”
However, mainstream German politicians expressed anger.
Denis Rathke, a member of the European Parliament from the center-right Christian Democrats, called Musk’s comments “annoying and unacceptable” and accused the billionaire of interfering in German elections.
According to German media reports, Lattek also labeled Musk a “threat to democracy” and criticized X as a platform for spreading false information.
Alex Schaefer of the center-left Social Democratic Party condemned Musk’s comments as “completely unacceptable” and stressed the importance of standing firm against foreign interference.
Meanwhile, Christian Lindner, the FDP’s former finance minister, acknowledged Musk’s past influence on some of its policies but warned him against supporting the Alternative for Germany. “The Alternative for Germany is against freedom, business and democracy – it is a far-right party,” Lindner wrote on Twitter.
Musk later solidified his position, claiming that the AfD’s platform represented “common sense policies” and rejecting the label of “far right.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose government collapsed last month over budget disputes, has taken a more cautious approach.
Scholz affirmed Musk’s right to express his views, adding that “free speech includes the freedom to make mistakes.”
The controversy comes as Germany prepares for an upcoming general election on February 23 that will see the Schulz coalition government collapse.
Political leaders across Germany remain united in rejecting any cooperation with the AfD, underscoring the party’s controversial position in the political landscape.
