Elon Musk backs far-right AfD in ‘Die Welt’ op-ed

An op-ed written by Elon Musk for prominent German newspaper Die Welt has caused uproar in Germany.

In a guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag, Musk justified his support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), calling it “the last spark of hope” for the country.

The piece expands on a post Musk published on his platform X shortly before Christmas.

In the editorial, Musk writes: “Portraying the AfD as far-right is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Come on!”

He goes on to explain why he supports the AfD’s position on energy, economic recovery and migration, saying that the AfD’s principles reflect “the principles that made Tesla and SpaceX successful.”

In 2021, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency classified the AfD at the national level as a suspected extremist organisation. But Musk writes that the AfD “represents a political realism” rather than extremism.

Shortly following its publication, the editor of Die Welt’s opinion section, Eva Marie Kogel, announced her resignation on X.

Die Welt journalist Franziska Zimmerer published a response to the piece, writing that it had caused an “intense discussion” in the editorial office, and that “many colleagues argued against publication.”

Many other Welt journalists also published criticisms of the piece publicly on X, and the paper’s future editor-in-chief, Jan Philipp Burgard, juxtaposed the billionaire’s statements in his own op-ed.

With Germany seven weeks away from a snap election, journalists and politicians are critical of the piece’s timing.

Zimmerer wrote that election appeals without filtering “have no place in independent media.”

Musk’s original post on X had already caused tension earlier in the week, prompting sharp reactions from German politicians.

Ahead of the national election on 23 February, political leaders across Germany remain united in rejecting any collaboration with the AfD, underscoring the party’s controversial position in the political landscape.