Elon Musk Faces Backlash Over Endorsement of Germany’s Far-Right AfD

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Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has stirred controversy by endorsing the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of Germany’s pivotal February snap election. Musk declared on his social media platform, X, “Only the AfD can save Germany,” prompting widespread criticism from German political leaders and the international community. The AfD, which is polling in second place at 19 percent, has been classified by some German intelligence agencies as an extremist group threatening democracy. This marks the latest instance of Musk’s growing alignment with populist-right movements across Europe, as he has also supported leaders such as Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage.

Mainstream German leaders swiftly rebuked Musk’s endorsement. Chancellor Olaf Scholz remarked, “We have freedom of speech, which also applies to multi-billionaires. But freedom of speech also means you can say things that are not right and do not contain good political advice.” Meanwhile, Alice Weidel, the AfD’s chancellor candidate, embraced Musk’s statement, responding enthusiastically on X, “Yes! You are perfectly right!” Despite this endorsement, the AfD remains critical of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Brandenburg, with party leaders labeling it a “problem” during state-level elections where the party garnered significant support.

Musk’s political endorsements extend beyond Germany. Reports suggest he may donate up to $100 million to Farage’s Reform UK party, though German law restricts non-EU foreigners from contributing more than €1,000 to local parties. While Musk has defended the AfD’s policies, stating in June, “They keep saying ‘far right,’ but the policies of AfD that I’ve read about don’t sound extremist,” critics warn that his high-profile support risks legitimizing parties viewed as undermining democratic values.

Source: Politico