Official statements or publications from Die Welt am Sonntag

Elon Musk Calls AfD 'Last Spark of Hope' in Die Welt Op-Ed; Editor Resigns

Dec 28, 2024, 05:45 PM

Elon Musk has reiterated his support for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in an opinion piece published in Die Welt am Sonntag newspaper. In the article, Musk outlined five reasons why he believes the AfD is Germany's 'last spark of hope' for economic renewal, cultural stability, and technological innovation. He argued that 'the German economy, once the engine of Europe, is now drowning in bureaucracy and oppressive regulations,' and praised the AfD's understanding that 'economic freedom is not only desirable, but necessary.' Musk dismissed accusations of extremism against the AfD, noting that its leader, Alice Weidel, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka. The publication of Musk's article prompted the resignation of Eva Marie Kogel, the head of the opinion section at Die Welt am Sonntag, in protest against giving Musk a platform to promote the AfD. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier criticized Musk, stating that X (formerly Twitter) poses a 'threat to democracy.'