BERLIN (Reuters) – U.S. billionaire Elon Musk drew criticism from German politicians from the federal government and opposition on Sunday for an opinion piece he wrote backing the right-wing Various for Germany (AfD) which they deemed “intrusive” exterior affect.
The assist of the AfD from Musk, who is ready to serve U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration as an out of doors adviser, comes as Germans are set to vote on Feb. 23 after a coalition authorities led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed.
The commentary revealed in German within the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, flagship of the Axel Springer media group, expanded on a put up by Musk on social media platform X final week during which he wrote “only the AfD can save Germany” and praised the get together’s strategy to regulation, taxes and market deregulation.
In response to the publication of his commentary, the editor of the newspaper’s opinion part mentioned on X that she had resigned.
Friedrich Merz, chief of the opposition Christian Democrats and present favorite to succeed Scholz as chancellor, mentioned in an interview with the Funke Media Group: “I cannot recall a comparable case of interference, in the history of Western democracies, in the election campaign of a friendly country.”
Merz described the commentary as “intrusive and pretentious”.
Saskia Esken, co-leader of Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), vowed fierce resistance to makes an attempt by state actors in addition to the wealthy and influential to affect Germany’s elections.
“In Elon Musk’s world, democracy and workers’ rights are obstacles to more profit,” Esken instructed Reuters. “We say quite clearly: Our democracy is defensible and it cannot be bought.”
Welt’s editor-in-chief designate defended the choice to publish the commentary, saying that democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of opinion, together with polarising positions.
The AfD is working second in opinion polls and would possibly have the ability to thwart a centre-right or centre-left majority. Germany’s mainstream, extra centrist events have pledged to shun any assist from the AfD on the nationwide stage.
