American billionaire Elon Musk has sparked a heated political debate with an article published in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, in which he advocates for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on the eve of the federal elections. The text has prompted Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government and leading opposition politicians to accuse the American billionaire of interfering in German domestic politics, BTA reports.
Soon elections in Germany will be held on February 23. The vote was called after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition collapsed last month over disagreements over how to revive Germany's stagnant economy.
The AfD came in second in the latest opinion polls, with 20 percent of respondents expressing support for the far-right party, Deutsche Welle reported. Friedrich Merz's conservative alliance, the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), came in first.
In an article in the Welt am Sonntag, Musk warned of an "economic and cultural collapse" in Germany and called the AfD "the last glimmer of hope for this country." He said the notion that the AfD is a far-right party is "categorically wrong".
This is not the first time Musk has taken a strong stance on German politics. After the attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg on December 20, in which five people were killed and about 200 were injured, Musk published a statement on his social network "Ex" demanding the resignation of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, ADR television recalled. "Scholz must resign", said the American billionaire, adding that the German chancellor is "an incompetent idiot".
In addition, Musk shared a comment by a social media user who blamed the tragic incident on uncontrolled "mass immigration", the German television also recalls.
In another post from December 20, Musk laconically stated: "Only the AfD can save Germany".
Musk today added German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to his list of German politicians he has attacked, DPA reported. "Steinmeier is an anti-democratic tyrant. Shame on him", the technology tycoon wrote in "Ex". Steinmeier's office said it had noticed the publication but would not comment on it.
Main points of Musk's article in "Welt am Sonntag"
In his article in "Welt am Sonntag", the owner of the companies "Tesla" and "SpaceX" develops views on German politics and the role that he believes the AfD should play in the future governance of the Federal Republic. Here are some key quotes from Musk's article.
"Germany is at a critical juncture - its future is teetering on the brink of economic and cultural collapse. As someone who has made significant investments in the industrial and technological sectors in Germany, I believe I have the right to speak openly about its political direction. "The Alternative for Germany is the last glimmer of hope for this country," Musk wrote in his opening remarks.
"The German economy, once the engine of Europe, is now mired in bureaucracy and crushing regulations. The AfD has understood that economic freedom is not just desirable, it is necessary. Its approach to reducing state overregulation, lowering taxes, and deregulating the market reflects the principles that have made Tesla and SpaceX successful companies. If Germany wants to regain its industrial strength, it needs a party that not only talks about growth but also takes political action to create an environment in which companies can flourish without heavy state interference," Musk wrote.
He also commented on the topic of migrants. "Germany has opened its borders to a very large number of migrants. "Although this measure was introduced with a humanitarian purpose, it has led to significant cultural and social tensions. The AfD advocates a controlled immigration policy that prioritizes integration and the preservation of German culture and security," Musk said.
Another issue the American billionaire addresses is green energy. He writes: "The energy policy pursued by the current ruling coalition is not only too expensive economically, but also naive geopolitically. Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power and rely heavily on coal and imported gas, as well as on unstable wind and solar power without the battery storage needed to stabilize the electricity supply, has left the country vulnerable".
Musk also outlines the place he believes the AfD occupies in the current German political landscape.
"The traditional parties in Germany have failed. Their policies have led to economic stagnation, social unrest and the erosion of national identity. Even if it is defined as a right-wing extremist party, the AfD has advocated a political realism that many Germans … approve of", Musk believes.
"The notion that the AfD is a right-wing extremist formation is categorically wrong, especially considering that the party chairwoman Alice Weidel has a same-sex relationship with a partner from Sri Lanka. Does this remind you of Hitler in any way", the American billionaire also wrote in his article in "Welt am Sonntag".
Reactions in Germany
Politicians from the German government and the opposition criticized the American billionaire for his article, saying that it represented "foreign influence", Reuters reported.
"Musk is free to express his opinion", said German government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann, quoted by "Spiegel". However, she stressed that "with his statement, Musk is in fact trying to influence the Bundestag elections".
"I do not remember such a case of interference in the election campaign of a friendly country in the history of Western democracies," said the leader of the opposition CDU party and current favorite to be the next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, quoted by Reuters. He called Musk's article "intrusive and pretentious".
"The political interference of Musk - the richest man in the world - is not accidental. He acts systematically," wrote German journalist Philipp Brost in an article published on the website of radio We De Air. "Through the "Ex" platform, which he purchased for a huge amount of money, he makes his extreme views widely public. The multi-billionaire does not hold an elected political office, but nevertheless influences political attitudes, and not only in the US," the German journalist added.
"He invested $200 million in the election of Donald Trump and made $20 billion. An impressive profit," said Saskia Esken, co-chair of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), quoted by AERD television. "Democracies are in his way, labor rights and other similar issues are hindering his business, and he is trying to influence them," Esken added.
In response to a request for comment from DPA, the current editor-in-chief of the "Welt" media group Ulf Poschart and Jan Philipp Burghardt, who is due to take over as editor-in-chief on January 1, said that the discussion on Musk's article had been "very in-depth". "Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression", Poschart and Burghardt write. "This will continue to determine the compass of the "world" in the future. We will develop "Welt" as a forum for such debates "with even greater determination", Poschart and Burghardt conclude.