Technical entrepreneur Elon Musk It caused a stir after the support Far-right party in Germany in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the newspaper’s opinion editor resigning in protest.
Germany is scheduled to hold snap elections on February 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party ruling coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s sluggish economy.
Musk’s guest opinion piece in Welt am Sonntag — a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer group — published in German over the weekend was the second time this month he has backed the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party.
“The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is the last spark of hope for this country,” Musk wrote in his translated commentary.
He went on to say that the far-right party “can lead the country to a future in which economic prosperity, cultural integrity, and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.”
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The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the state of the country.
The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel, has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party.
In his opinion piece, the tech billionaire challenged the party’s public image.
“The portrayal of the AfD as far-right is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a gay partner from Sri Lanka! Does this sound like Hitler to you? Please!”
Musk’s comment led to a debate in the German media about the limits of freedom of expression, with the newspaper’s opinion editor announcing her resignation, conspicuously on Musk’s social media platform, X.
Eva-Marie Kugel wrote: “I have always enjoyed leading the opinion section at WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I tendered my resignation yesterday after it went to print.”
A critical article written by future Welt Group editor-in-chief Jean-Philippe Beauregard accompanied Musk’s opinion piece.
“Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote.
In response to a request for comment from the German news agency DPA, Welt Group’s current editor-in-chief, Ulf Boschardt, and Burgard – who is due to take up his position on January 1 – said in a joint statement that the discussion around Musk’s article was “very insightful. Democracy and journalism are thriving.” Through freedom of expression.”
“This will continue to define the ‘world’ compass in the future. We will work to develop Die Welt more decisively as a forum for such discussions,” they wrote to the German news agency dpa.
Musk fought hard In the 2024 US presidential election, investing millions in the election of President-elect Donald Trump. Trump rewarded him after the election with Musk was named to the newly created presidency Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, with Vivek Ramaswamy.
Musk and Ramaswamy were involved Over the weekend on X, Musk owns the social media platform, via H-1B visas, which are applied to highly skilled workers. Musk, who came to the United States on an H-1B visa, defended the use of the policy amid backlash from Laura Loomer and other Trump supporters who support hard-line immigration policies.
In an interview with the New York Post, Trump said he “always liked visas,” although he tried to change the program during his first time in office.
“I have several H-1B visas on my property. I’ve been a believer in H-1B visas. I’ve used them many times. It’s a great program,” Trump told the newspaper.
