American tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has publicly backed the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
In a reaction on X to a video by Naomi Seibt, a German political activist, Musk posted on December 20: “Only the AfD can save Germany.”
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said she was pleased about his support and claimed the Left was destroying the country.
Only the AfD can save Germany https://t.co/Afu0ea1Fvt
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2024
Seibt, a right-wing activist sometimes nicknamed “the anti-Greta” due to her opposition to climate activist Greta Thunberg, had uploaded a video on X. In it she claimed the Christian Democratic (CDU) politician Friedrich Merz had been declared presumptive future chancellor of Germany by many, disregarding the AfD.
She went on to point out that Merz was open to collaborating with the Greens, meaning, she said, Germany would largely continue its economic struggles.
Seibt added that Merz had slammed Libertarian Argentinian President Javier Milei and Musk himself over what Merz had called their free-market approach.
AfD MP Alice Weidel said in reaction to Musk’s comment: “Yes! You are perfectly right, Elon Musk!”
“Please also have a look into my interview on President Trump, how socialist Merkel ruined our country, how the Soviet European Union destroys the country’s economic backbone and malfunctioning Germany!,” she said.
Following that, the AfD party’s official page on X posted: “Clear words from Elon Musk.”
The party used the tech billionaire’s apparent endorsement to appeal for more members. “If you also want to save Germany, then join in and fill out the membership application right away!”
Others were less enthusiastic about the hard-right party.
Thorsten Alsleben, head of the The Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft lobby organisation, financed by employers, posted on X: “The AfD is on Putin’s leash.”
“They want to leave the EU, which would massively damage Germany as an export country (€200 billion in economic damage for Germany per year). Maybe you should find out what the AfD is planning.”
Julian Röpcke, a military analyst and senior editor with the newspaper Bild, claimed on X on December 20 that Musk’s post was a form of “interference in the German election campaign by a tech billionaire who uses algorithms to decide what is heard”.
“If the federal government and the democratic opposition do not respond with penalties, there will be no help for our eroding democracy.”
“Last but not least, Musk is not only spreading his own opinion but also election advertising for the AfD of this well-known AfD-affiliated activist [Seibt],” he said.
“This alone is forbidden to social networks under EU law by means of an algorithm push. He simply ignores it.”
I guarantee you, right now, as we speak, there are 100 frantic phone calls being made between NATO StratCom in Riga, NATO Hybrid CoE in Helsinki, and NATO Political Committee czars at NATO HQ in Brussels, all ablaze and scheming in a maddening flurry, all set off by this tweet. https://t.co/6cQt9GSlCy
— Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) December 20, 2024
