Elon Musk Ignites Fury in Germany With ‘Incompetent Fool’ Jab at Chancellor and Support for Far-Right Party
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, recently made headlines with his controversial statements on German politics.
On the social platform X, Musk retweeted a video from right-wing influencer Naomi Seibt criticizing Friedrich Merz, a potential future German chancellor, and declared, “Only the AfD can save Germany.”
This endorsement of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, known for its right-wing stance, stirred significant reactions.
Adding to the controversy, Musk connected a violent incident at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, which resulted in the death of five people, to Germany’s immigration policy.
He reshared a post that blamed the attack on “mass unchecked immigration” and called for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign, labeling him an “incompetent fool.”
These comments from Musk have ignited a wave of criticism in Germany, especially with the upcoming snap federal election.
Chancellor Scholz responded subtly at a press conference in Berlin. He emphasized that freedom of speech allows even multimillionaires like Musk to express incorrect and politically unwise statements, as reported by the Guardian.
German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach also spoke on X, expressing that Musk should refrain from meddling in German political affairs and criticized his platform for profiting from content that incites hate and radicalizes people.
The AfD, initially founded as an anti-euro party, has shifted its focus towards immigration issues over the years, attracting far-right support.
Musk previously defended the party in June, questioning the label ‘far-right’ and suggesting that the AfD’s policies seemed reasonable to him.
Musk’s political inclinations have shown a pattern as he also supports other right-wing leaders like Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform Party.
Farage recently hinted that Musk could be a financial supporter of his party, bolstering his political influence across Europe.