Germany accuses Musk of election interference by backing far-right AfD party

BERLIN

The German government accused US business magnate Elon Musk on Monday of attempting to influence the country's election campaign by reaffirming his support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

While he is free to express his opinion, “in fact, Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election through his statements,” deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said at a press briefing in Berlin.

Elections are decided by the voters when they vote and are a German matter, she stressed.

Musk, who also owns social media platform X, had written a guest editorial in the daily WELT newspaper voicing his support for the AfD.

Hoffmann said while “freedom of expression is a valuable asset,” one does not have to share his viewpoint.

She pointed out that Musk had suggested voting for a party that was being monitored by the country's domestic intelligence agency (Office for the Protection of the Constitution) as a potential right-wing extremist case.

On Dec. 20, Musk, who is set to serve as an advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump, wrote on X that "only the AfD can save Germany."

Musk had also insulted Chancellor Olaf Scholz by calling him an “incompetent fool” in the wake of the recent deadly terror attack in the eastern city of Magdeburg.

The AfD is currently running second in nationwide surveys and might be able to thwart either a center-right or center-left majority.

However, Germany’s mainstream, more centrist parties have vowed to refuse to form a coalition with the AfD at the national level.