Headliner
Elon Musk Appears at Rally Hosted by Germany's Conservative AfD Party, Amidst Allegations of Nazi Salute Incident
Elon Musk, the affluent business tycoon, shook up German politics last weekend by backing the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party at a campaign event in Halle. The Tesla CEO, who made a virtual appearance, defended the party as the nation's "best hope" amid accusations of performing a Nazi salute at an inauguration event earlier in the week.
Spotlights
Musk, participating in the event virtually, exhorted AfD's chancellor hopeful, Alice Weidel, to preserve German culture and values without succumbing to multiculturalism. He expressed his desire for her victory in the election scheduled for February 23, asserting that Germany needed to cut down on bureaucracy from the European Union.
Referencing Germany's history, Musk claimed there was an excessive focus on past guilt, emphasizing that children should not bear the consequences of their ancestors' sins. Weidel reciprocated his support by mirroring former U.S. President Donald Trump's slogan, claiming she would "Make Germany great again."
Highlights
- Musk's Op-Ed: The billionaire penned an opinion piece in Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper earlier this year, backing the AfD and dismissing perceptions of the party as right-wing extremist. He further underlined Weidel's sexuality, suggesting it was at odds with stereotypes linked to Hitler.
- Controversial Gesture: Musk's gesture at an inauguration event for Donald Trump made headlines after some perceived it as a "Sieg Heil" salute. Although the gesture is illegal in both Germany and Austria, the Anti-Defamation League defended Musk, attributing it to "momentary exuberance." However, Musk's subsequent social media posts involving Nazi party figures stirred controversy, leaving the organization to revoke its initial defense.
Noteworthy
- Criticism from Politicians: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz deemed Musk's support for the AfD as risking European democracy. Friedrich Merz, the center-right candidate for chancellor, accused Musk of meddling imprudently, while Lars Klingbeil, the chairman of the Social Democrats, likened Musk's actions to those of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Public Response: Many Germans were dismayed by Musk's comments regarding the nation's historical guilt, particularly given the imminent marking of 80 years since the Auschwitz liberation. There were calls for German media outlets to exercise caution when handling guest contributions to avoid being exploited by influencers.
- AfD's Polling: The AfD's current polling stands at 20%, lower than its peak in the preceding period. A recent Forsa poll suggests Musk's contributions do not necessarily translate into increased votes for the party.
Reference(s):[1] The Guardian[2] Reuters[3] CNN[4] Deutsche Welle[5] The New York Times
Elon Musk also publicly defended Alice Weidel, the chancellor hopeful of the AfD, in Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper, praising her for not conforming to stereotypes often associated with political figures in Germany. Amidst the controversy, Weidel echoed Donald Trump's famous slogan, promising to "Make Germany great again."
Despite facing criticism from German politicians like Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz, Musk's backing of the AfD in Germany has not significantly boosted the party's polling numbers. Recently, a Forsa poll indicated that Musk's endorsement might not directly translate into increased votes for the AfD.