Elon Musk has stirred controversy in Germany after calling Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool” and backing the country’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
In a post on X, Musk first reshared a video by right-wing influencer Naomi Seibt in which she criticizes Friedrich Merz, one of the leading candidates to become Germany’s next chancellor.
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” Musk, who is the richest person in the world, wrote alongside the post.
Musk then weighed in on news of an attack on Friday on a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg that killed at least five people.
Musk shared a post purportedly featuring a symbol of the suspect saying the attack is a “DIRECT RESULT of out-of-control mass immigration. “
“Scholz resigns immediately. An incompetent fool,” Musk added in another post.
Prominent right-wing figures across Europe used the incident to publicize anti-immigration rhetoric and call for stricter border controls.
Musk’s comments, which come just two months before Germany is set to hold a snap federal election, have sparked backlash in the country.
Scholz appeared to respond at a news conference in Berlin: “We have freedom of expression here. This also applies to billionaires. Freedom of speech also means that you can say things that are not fair and have no substance. intelligent political advice,” according to The Guardian.
Karl Lauterbach, Germany’s fitness minister, said on X that Musk “should interfere in our politics,” adding that “his platform profits from hate and incitement and radicalizes people. “
The AfD party was created in 2013 as an anti-euro party, but has since focused more on immigration and is considered a far-right party.
Musk, however, has questioned in the past how far-right the party’s policies are.
In an article on X in June, he wrote: “Why is there such a negative reaction from other people about the AfD? »
“They keep saying ‘far right’, but the AfD policies I’ve heard about don’t seem extremist. Maybe I’m missing something,” he said. -he added.
The Tesla CEO has shown growing support for right-wing leaders, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform Party.
Earlier this week, Farage boasted that Musk was “right behind” him and advised that the tech mogul could financially fund his party.
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