Official statements or publications from Welt am Sonntag

Elon Musk's Pro-AfD Op-Ed in German Newspaper Triggers Editor's Resignation

Dec 29, 2024, 12:19 PM

Elon Musk has sparked controversy in Germany after writing an opinion piece in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, part of the Axel Springer group, expressing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In the article, published less than two months before the February 23 elections, Musk described the AfD as Germany's 'last spark of hope' and dismissed claims that the party is extremist, noting that its leader, Alice Weidel, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka. The AfD is currently under investigation for extremism by domestic intelligence. The publication of the piece prompted the resignation of the newspaper's opinion editor in protest. German politicians have criticized Musk's intervention as 'intrusive' interference, with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier calling Musk's social media platform X a 'threat to democracy'. The incident has intensified the debate over foreign influence in German politics ahead of the upcoming elections.