Musk Berated by German Leaders Over Backing for Far-Right Party

Berlin: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his deputy, Robert Habeck, took a moment during their New Year speeches to call out Elon Musk. They were not happy about his support for the far-right AfD party ahead of the snap elections in February.

Musk, who’s been a big name in U.S. politics, has been vocal about his backing for the AfD on his social media platform, X. He even wrote an opinion piece in a German newspaper, which stirred up more controversy.

While Scholz didn’t mention Musk directly, he made it clear that the upcoming election is for German voters to decide, not for social media moguls. He pointed out that just because someone has a loud opinion doesn’t mean they’ll dictate the future of Germany.

Habeck, who’s also running for chancellor, accused Musk of trying to weaken Europe to benefit his business interests. He argued that when Musk calls for the AfD to win, it’s not just a random thought; it’s part of a bigger strategy.

Scholz’s early election call came after he fired his finance minister, which shook things up in the government. With the election just around the corner, the opposition is leading in the polls, and the AfD is gaining traction.

Since its start in 2013, the AfD has shifted further to the right, attracting voters who feel let down by traditional parties. Some of its chapters are even under surveillance for being labeled as right-wing extremist.

Despite its growing popularity, the AfD is unlikely to join the government since other parties refuse to work with them. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also weighed in, warning about outside influences on Germany’s democracy.

Habeck emphasized that the EU needs to stand strong against any attempts to undermine it, suggesting that they should leverage their market power to push back.