US BILLIONAIRE MUSK REAFFIRMS STRONG ELECTORAL SUPPORT FOR GERMANY’S FAR-RIGHT AFD PARTY

Fri 10 January 2025:

US tech billionaire Elon Musk on Thursday reiterated his strong support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the Feb. 23 general elections in Germany.

“If you are unhappy with the situation, you must vote for change. And that is why I’m really strongly recommending that people vote for AfD. That’s why that’s my strong recommendation. And I think this is simply the sensible move,” Musk said in an online talk on X with AfD leader Alice Weidel.

“In fact, I, as I’ve said publicly, I think only AfD can save Germany. And I just want to be very clear about that: Only AfD can save Germany, end of story. And people really need to get behind the AfD, otherwise things gonna get very, very much worse in Germany,” he added.

Musk, who is set to serve as an advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump, triggered strong criticism within Germany’s political establishment over his AfD support, particularly after he also insulted President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

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Last week, the German government accused Musk of attempting to influence the country’s election campaign by showing his support for AfD.

While he is free to express his opinion, “in fact, Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election through his statements,” deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said at a press briefing in Berlin.

Elections are decided by the voters when they vote and are a German matter, she stressed.

Musk, who also owns social media platform X, had written a guest editorial in the daily WELT newspaper voicing his support for the AfD.

Hoffmann said while “freedom of expression is a valuable asset,” one does not have to share his viewpoint.

She pointed out that Musk had suggested voting for a party that was being monitored by the country’s domestic intelligence agency (Office for the Protection of the Constitution) as a potential right-wing extremist case.

On Dec. 20, Musk wrote on X that “only the AfD can save Germany.”

The AfD is currently running second in nationwide surveys and might be able to thwart either a center-right or center-left majority.

However, Germany’s mainstream, more centrist parties have vowed to refuse to form a coalition with the AfD at the national level.

Anti-Muslim and anti-immigration policies

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is known for its strong anti-Muslim and anti-immigration policies. The party frames Islam as incompatible with German values, calling for bans on minarets, the hijab in public institutions, and Islamic education in schools.

It promotes the idea that Germany’s cultural identity is threatened by Muslim immigration and has pushed for stricter border controls to curb the influx of asylum seekers. The AfD opposes Germany’s acceptance of refugees, particularly those from predominantly Muslim countries, and advocates deporting migrants without legal status.

Additionally, the party often uses rhetoric that links immigration to crime, creating fear around multiculturalism. These policies resonate with voters concerned about national identity and security, but they have been widely criticized for stoking xenophobia, undermining social cohesion, and violating human rights.

The AfD’s stance reflects a broader far-right trend in Europe, where anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment are used to mobilize political support.

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