Statements from German government officials or press releases

Elon Musk Calls AfD 'Last Spark of Hope' in German Newspaper; Editor Resigns

Dec 28, 2024, 04:15 PM

Elon Musk has written an opinion piece in the German newspaper 'Welt am Sonntag', expressing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, calling it Germany's 'last spark of hope'. In his article, Musk argues that the AfD understands the necessity of economic freedom and criticizes Germany's bureaucracy and oppressive regulations, which he believes are stifling innovation. He compares the AfD's vision to the principles behind his companies, Tesla and SpaceX. Musk also notes that the AfD's leader, Alice Weidel, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka, asserting that the portrayal of the AfD as extremist is false. The publication of his article has caused internal conflict at 'Welt am Sonntag', leading to the resignation of Eva Marie Kogel, the head of the opinion section, in protest against the article's publication. The incident has sparked widespread reactions, including comments from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who expressed concerns about external influence on German democracy.