American billionaire Elon Musk received criticism from German government and opposition politicians this Sunday for what they considered an “intrusive” external influence.
The support for the AfD from Musk, who is expected to serve as an external adviser in US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, comes as Germans prepare to vote on February 23 following the collapse of the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz .
The comment, published in German in the Axel Springer media group’s flagship newspaper Welt am Sonntag, expanded on a post by Musk on social media platform X last week in which he wrote that “only the AfD can save Germany ” and praised the party’s approach to deregulation and taxes.
In response to the publication of the article, the editor of the newspaper’s opinion section announced on X that she had resigned.
Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition Christian Democrats and current favorite to succeed Scholz as chancellor, said in an interview with Funke Media Group: “I don’t remember a comparable case of interference, in the history of Western democracies, in the election campaign of a friendly country.” .
Merz described the comment as “intrusive and pretentious.”
Saskia Esken, co-leader of Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), pledged firm resistance to attempts by state actors, as well as the rich and influential, to influence Germany’s elections.
Continues after advertising
“In Elon Musk’s world, democracy and workers’ rights are obstacles to more profit,” Esken told Reuters. “We say clearly: our democracy will be Olaf Scholz.
“In Elon Musk’s world, democracy and workers’ rights are obstacles to more profits,” Esken told Reuters. “We say clearly: Our democracy is defensible and cannot be bought.”
Welt’s designated editor-in-chief defended the decision to publish the commentary, saying democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of opinion, including polarizing positions.
Continues after advertising
The AfD is in second place in opinion polls and may be able to prevent a center-right or center-left majority. Germany’s main centrist parties have pledged to avoid any support for the AfD at the national level.
