Allusion to war

Calls to boycott Tesla after Musk’s AfD post

Following Musk's controversial AfD post, German politicians are up in arms. Many are calling for a boycott of Tesla.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/AFP)

Elon Musk gets involved in the German parliamentary election campaign and expresses his support for the AfD with a controversial post on X. "Only the AfD can save Germany," wrote Musk. The reactions from politicians were not long in coming - there were also calls for a boycott of Musk's e-car company Tesla.

Elon Musk is once again causing a stir with his comments on the election campaign in Germany. After the attack in Magdeburg, the Trump confidant criticized Olaf Scholz (SPD) and saw the event as the trigger for rising AfD poll ratings. "Recent events have also had a major impact," Musk wrote on X in response to a post about the latest INSA poll.

What Musk does not mention, however, is that the survey commissioned by Bild was conducted between December 18 and 19 - i.e. before the attack in Magdeburg.

Musk makes allusion to the Second World War
Elon Musk's support for the AfD has led to an intensive exchange between the high-tech billionaire and former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton. Shortly before the elections in Germany, Musk "openly expressed his support for the far-right AfD party", Breton wrote on Musk's platform X on Sunday.

The controversial AfD post caused a lot of uproar in German politics:

He asked, "Isn't that the very definition of foreign interference?" Musk responded with the message, "Bro, American 'foreign interference' is the only reason you don't speak German or Russian." Musk was alluding to the US intervention in the Second World War.

A few days ago, Musk wrote on X: "Only the AfD can save Germany." After the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market, which left five people dead and over 200 injured, he sharply criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) as an "incompetent fool" and called for his resignation. Musk also shared the comment of a user who described the incident as a direct consequence of unregulated "mass immigration".

Criticism of Musk's statement came from Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), among others. "Elon Musk should not interfere in our politics. His platform makes profit with hate and agitation and radicalizes people," Lauterbach also wrote on X.

German politicians take to the barricades
The SPD sees Elon Musk's recommendations to vote for the AfD as an "attack on German democracy": it must worry every democrat "when Putin and Musk interfere in the German election campaign at the same time", SPD leader Lars Klingbeil told the Tagesspiegel. "The fact that both are committed to the AfD speaks for itself". Musk's post shows "that we have to be prepared for a tough election campaign: not only in our own country against lies and agitation from the AfD, but also from actors outside who want to attack German democracy and destabilize our country".

In my opinion, X is a haven for hate and disinformation.

Bayerischer SPD-Fraktionschef Holger Grießhammer

The reactions to Musk's post were not long in coming: AfD chancellor candidate Alice Weidel expressed her enthusiasm, while FDP leader Lindner invited the Trump confidant to a personal meeting. Musk also shared a video of far-right influencer Naomi Seibt in his support. These posts were also regularly shared by the driver who ran amok at the Magdeburg Christmas market.

In response to Elon Musk's election appeal for the AfD, the SPD parliamentary group in the Bavarian state parliament deleted its X account. SPD parliamentary group leader Holger Grießhammer announced that he had also deleted his personal account and that of the parliamentary group on X. His four deputies would also follow suit. In his opinion, X is a "haven for hate and disinformation". SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously said in response to Musk's post that freedom of expression also applies to multi-billionaires. The Chancellor wanted to stay on X.

EU Commission investigation called for
Following Elon Musk's supportive post for the AfD, CDU MEPs are calling for an investigation by the EU Commission into the visibility of his posts on X. Numerous users reported regularly seeing Musk's content without following him. This raises questions about the transparency of the recommendation algorithms.

This is not the first time that the tech billionaire has interfered in German politics. He once insulted Angela Merkel and also insulted Olaf Scholz. After the European elections, he showed sympathy for the AfD and described its political positions as not extremist.