After supporting Donald Trump in the U.S. elections and securing the post of the next DOGE secretary, Elon Musk is trying to expand his influence on European politics as well.
This week, in particular, the world’s richest man set his sights on Germany following the country’s government crisis, claiming to be a supporter of Alternative fur Deutschland (AFD), the far-right party.
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” Musk wrote Friday while re-posting a video from far-right political activist Naomi Seibt, following the fall of the Scholz government. The party, which has seen its popularity grow significantly in recent times, has advocated anti-immigrant policies under the cry of “Germany First,” while also being accused by its critics of “dusting off” slogans and ideologies close to Nazism.
As CNN reported, last May, a local judge ruled that German intelligence can continue to monitor the AFD because of the alleged threat it may pose to democracy. The party’s youth wing, moreover, the Junge Alternative (JA), has been designated by German authorities as a “confirmed extremist” organization.
The leading candidate in the eastern region of Thuringia, Björn Höcke, was also convicted earlier this year of violating laws against uttering Nazi slogans in public. Yet despite its various vicissitudes, the AFD has seen its numbers grow significantly, becoming the first far-right party to win state elections since Hitler’s time.
It is to this movement, then, that Elon Musk would like to entrust the leadership of Germany. This is not the first time the world’s richest man has spoken out in favor of the AFD. Last July, for example, the patron of X affirmed: “Why is there such a negative reaction from some about AfD? They keep saying ‘far right,’ but the policies of AfD that I’ve read about don’t sound extremist. Maybe I’m missing something.”
On Friday, the words released by Musk on his X profile were retweeted by AFD national leader Alice Weidel herself. The latter wanted to thank the future DOGE secretary, writing: “Alternative for Germany is indeed the one and only alternative for our country; our very last option. I wish you and President Donald Trump all the best for the upcoming tenure.”
Finally, Christian Lindner, leader of the German Liberal Democratic Party, also spoke on the matter, urging the 53-year-old from Pretoria not to draw hasty conclusions from afar. “While migration control is crucial for Germany, the AfD stands against freedom, business – and it’s a far-right extremist party,” Lindner added.
