Musk calls on Germans to vote for AfD - influence on European elections

Musk calls on Germans to vote for AfD - influence on European elections

Elon Musk on Thursday described the co-leader of Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as "very sensible" and urged Germans to vote for the far-right party. This is another high-profile sign of Musk's involvement in European politics.

Elon Musk's message

"Only the AfD can save Germany, that's the truth. People have to get behind the AfD now, otherwise things will get much worse in Germany," explained Musk during an audio live stream together with AfD co-chairwoman Alice Weidel on the X platform.

Comparison with the USA

Musk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, compared the political climate in Germany to that in the United States. He said people were dissatisfied and demanded change by voting for Trump in November. Germany faces its own elections on February 23rd.

Call for change

“If you are dissatisfied with the situation, you have to vote for change, and that is exactly why I strongly recommend voting for the AfD,” emphasized Musk.

The role of the USA in Europe

He also asserted that the president-elect would resolve the Ukraine crisis "very quickly," leading Weidel to say that she wishes the incoming Trump administration would "end this terrible war" because "the Europeans can't do that."

Germany's responsibility

"They are completely dependent on the US, in the sense that they think the US has to do all the work. We don't have to do anything, we just escalate the entire conflict against Russia. What is happening here is very dangerous and only you can fundamentally stop it," Weidel said.

Protection of Jewish life in Germany

Weidel also said it was “unbelievable” how Germany treated Trump during his presidential campaign. It caused her “physical pain” to see him “degraded.” In the same conversation, Weidel emphasized that Germany must protect Israel's existence and "exercise its responsibility as a German nation-state" to protect Jewish lives, which she saw as threatened by "Muslim crime."

How did this situation come about?

Musk is under fire from European politicians - particularly in Britain and Germany - for meddling in politics abroad as the world prepares for Trump's impending resignation as president. The US billionaire has become increasingly vocal in his support of the European right and appears keen to strengthen ties between such parties and Trump's camp.

Reactions to Musk's support of the AfD

Conservative Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also has a growing relationship with Trump's camp after being hosted at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. Musk has publicly supported the AfD ahead of the upcoming snap election on February 23, in which the party is expected to finish second behind former Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right CDU party.

Consequences for German politics

The reactions of mainstream German politicians to Musk's public support of the AfD were not positive. SPD co-chairman Lars Klingbeil drew comparisons between Musk and Russian President Vladimir Putin. During his Neujan address, Scholz explained that it was up to German citizens to decide the fate of the country, not “the owners of social media.”

Looking into the future

Given Musk's provocative statements about election manipulation, Thursday's livestream could be seen as another example of this. Tensions are rising amid an ongoing European Commission investigation into Musk's Platform X and possible violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Thierry Breton, the former head of the EU's internal market who oversaw the rollout of the DSA, wrote to Weidel before the livestream that as a European citizen he was concerned about the correct use of platforms operating in the EU.

“I think it is crucial to remind you that your interlocutor (Musk) should once again fully respect all obligations under our EU law,” he added.

At the same time, the administration of the German Bundestag Chamber stated that it was examining whether Musk's livestream could possibly constitute illegal influence on the election campaign.