Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s continues to interfere in the German elections, with his support for a German far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) having taken a new turn.
On Thursday, 9 January, Musk is expected to have a conversation on his social media platform, X, with Alice Weidel, the AfD leader and chancellor candidate for the upcoming early parliamentary elections on 23 February, according to Weidel’s spokesperson, Daniel Tapp.
This is not the first time Musk, a key advisor to future US President Donald Trump, has engaged in the German election campaign. Musk has repeatedly expressed his support for the AfD and recently published an opinion piece in the newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
In the article, he described Germany as a country "on the brink of economic and cultural decay," claiming the far-right party is the only hope to save the nation from ruin. As the CEO of Tesla, Musk is also one of the largest employers in Brandenburg, an eastern state in Germany where the AfD has a strong following.
The central themes of the discussion between Musk and Weidel will focus on freedom of speech and the AfD’s views on preparing Germany for the future, Tapp stated.
Musk’s open involvement in German politics has sparked significant controversy in the country. Without naming him directly, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz sharply criticised Musk in his New Year’s address, stating that it is not for "social media owners" to decide whom Germans should vote for.
