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By Jordan King
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The German government has said Elon Musk is trying to influence its upcoming election with his social media posts in support of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
"It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election," a government spokesperson said. "After all, freedom of opinion also covers the greatest nonsense."
The comments were reported by Reuters after being published in German in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
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When Newsweek contacted the German government's press office for further comment, it was directed to deputy spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann's press conference comments.
Hoffmann said: "Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election through his statement. As I said, he is free to express his opinion. You don't have to share this opinion. I think it's good to point out again that a recommendation to vote is being made here for a party that is being monitored by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution on suspicion of being right-wing extremist, and that has already been recognized as being right-wing extremist in parts."
Newsweek has contacted X, formerly Twitter, via email for comment on behalf of Musk.
Why It Matters
Musk has risen to become a significant political figure in the U.S. after throwing his support behind Donald Trump in the 2024 election and being selected to head the incoming administration's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The Tesla boss has faced controversy for his support of the AfD ahead of Germany's federal elections, including a December 20 post on X backing the party.
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What To Know
The snap elections, being held in February, were triggered after the collapse of the German coalition government, when Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote.
As well as posting his support for the AfD, Musk penned an opinion piece for the Welt am Sonntag over the weekend, denying that the AfD is "rightwing extremist," calling this portrayal "clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party's leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka."
AfD is polling in second place after the German conservatives, Reuters reported earlier this month.
The party is currently under observation by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, for suspected extremism, which the AfD has insisted is a political attempt to discredit the party.
What People Are Saying
Musk wrote on X on December 20: "Only the AfD can save Germany."
In his opinion piece, Musk called the AfD "the last spark of hope" for Germany and argued in favor of the party's positions on energy, economic recovery and migration, saying they reflect "the principles that made Tesla and SpaceX successful," according to a Euronews translation.
Scholz said at a news conference on December 20, in response to Musk's X post: "We have freedom of opinion—it also goes for multibillionaires, but freedom of opinion also means that you can say things that aren't right and don't contain good political advice."
He added: "I say emphatically that the democratic parties in Germany all see it differently."
Weidel replied to Musk's December 20 post: "The Alternative for Germany is indeed the one and only alternative for our country; our very last option."
Eric Langenbacher, a senior fellow and director of the Society, Culture & Politics Program at the American-German Institute, previously told Newsweek, "there is close to a zero percent likelihood that the AfD will place first in the February 23rd general election and an even lower likelihood that they will gain an absolute majority."
What Happens Next
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has scheduled elections for February 23, seven months earlier than planned.
Update 1/13/25, 2:29 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from the German government.
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