Elon Musk Backs Controversial German Party in Opinion Piece

Elon Musk, the billionaire tech mogul known for his ventures like Tesla and SpaceX, has stirred controversy by showing support for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In a recent opinion piece, Musk praised the party as the "last spark of hope" for Germany, highlighting AfD's potential to lead the country towards economic prosperity, cultural integrity, and technological innovation. This isn't the first time Musk has voiced his support for AfD; he previously shared content from a far-right activist on his platform, suggesting that only AfD can save Germany. Germany is set to elect a new government on February 23, following the collapse of the previous governing coalition. The country has been facing economic struggles, and Musk believes that the traditional parties have failed to address these issues effectively. He criticized their policies for leading to economic stagnation, social unrest, and a weakening of national identity. The AfD, known for its "Germany first" stance, has been gaining popularity despite its controversial views. The party opposes immigration, supports white supremacist ideologies, and has even suggested mass deportations. Its leader has proposed separating disabled students from regular schools, and the party has been linked to neo-Nazi groups. German authorities have classified AfD as a suspected extremist group, with its youth wing deemed confirmed extremist. In September, the AfD scored a significant victory by winning a state election in Thuringia, a first for a far-right party since the Nazi era. Although it's unlikely that AfD will win the national election in February, its growing support is causing concern among German politicians and the public. Musk's opinion piece has sparked criticism from left-leaning German politicians. Matthias Miersch, general secretary of Germany's ruling Social Democrats (SPD), condemned the interference of foreign billionaires in German politics, especially when they support parties that threaten democratic values. Miersch also criticized Axel Springer, the media conglomerate that published Musk's piece, for its decision to run the article. The controversy led to the resignation of Eva Marie Kogel, the opinion editor of Welt, who stepped down in protest. Kogel expressed her disapproval on her social media platform, stating that she had handed in her resignation after the article was published. Alongside Musk's piece, the paper published an article by Jan Philipp Burgard, the soon-to-be editor-in-chief of Welt, who acknowledged that Musk's diagnosis of Germany's problems was correct but disagreed with his proposed solution. Burgard emphasized that only supporting the AfD was not the right approach. The editors of Welt defended their decision to publish Musk's opinion piece, stating that it sparked an insightful discussion and that democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.