Germany Accuses Elon Musk Of Trying To Intervention In His Country Election

Elon Musk/DOK via X @JDCocchiarella

JAKARTA - The German government accuses US billionaire Elon Musk of trying to influence elections scheduled for February 2025 with statements supporting the Alternative right-wing party for Germany (AfD) published in the article.

Musk, who will serve in Donald Trump's new government as an outside adviser, backed AfD as Germany's final hope in opinion for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

"It is true that Elon Musk is trying to influence federal elections with X posts and opinions," a spokesman for the German government said.

Musk was free to express his opinion, but Germany emphasized that the X-owner's statement was "the biggest nonsense."

Musk, the world's richest man, defended his right to interfere in German politics for his "significant investment", and praised AfD's approach to market regulation, taxes, and deregulation.

The intervention comes as German citizens prepare to vote in parliamentary elections on February 23 after the collapse of a coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Musk also called for Scholz's resignation after the car hit a crowd at the Christmas market on December 20, killing five people.

AfD is currently in second place in a poll behind major, conservative opposition, and could possibly thwart the majority of the right or left-right wing in elections. German mainstream parties have promised not to cooperate with AfD at the national level.

A government spokesman said Musk's support for AfD was a recommendation to elect parties monitored by domestic intelligence on suspicion of being a far-right extremist.

German politicians criticized Musk for his support for AfD. Meanwhile, one of Scholz's leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) compared it with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Both want to influence our election and specifically support Afghanistan's democratic enemy. They want Germany to weaken and fall into chaos," Lars Klingbeil told news group Funke on Monday.

Friedrich Merz, the current leader of the Christian Democrat opposition and favorite to replace Scholz as chancellor, told Funke Musk's comments were "disturbing and ambitious".