Topline
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, has engaged for weeks in a back-and-forth with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a German election looms, with Scholz most recently slamming Musk’s support for the German far right and other European right-wing parties as “really disgusting.”
Musk has criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz multiple times on X in recent weeks. (Photo by … [+]
Key Facts
Scholz denounced Musk in an interview with CNN Tuesday night, accusing him of “intervening in favor of right-wing politicians all over Europe,” which he said is “not good for the democratic development in all [of] the European Union.”
Scholz also slammed Musk’s controversial comments, which the billionaire made over the weekend at a gathering for the far-right Alternative for Germany party, in which Musk said Germany has “too much of a focus on past guilt,” an apparent reference to the Holocaust.
Scholz told CNN he is “so angry about Elon Musk intervening for the far right and Elon Musk also not acting adequately to this killing of so many Jews,” which he called a “historic responsibility we will continue to take in the future as well.”
Last week, Scholz criticized Musk after a reporter at the World Economic Forum asked him about Musk performing a gesture that resembled a Nazi salute at President Donald Trump’s inaugural rally, to which Scholz said Musk has the right to free speech, but “what we do not accept is if this is supporting extreme right positions.”
Musk has frequently lobbed insults at Scholz on X, in multiple posts calling him a derogatory nickname, “Oaf Schitz,” and in another calling him an “incompetent fool.”
As Musk has stepped up his advocacy for Germany’s AfD party in recent weeks, Scholz has criticized the billionaire on multiple occasions, dismissing Musk as a “troll” and stating earlier this month Germany’s leadership “will not be decided by the owners of social media channels.”
German President Steinmeier Appeared To Respond To Musk, Too
Without naming Musk, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered an apparent rebuke to his comments about Germany focusing “too much” on past guilt on Wednesday morning, stating it is “not possible to draw a line under our history” and that the Holocaust is “a part of German history, whether we like it or not.” Musk has previously slammed Steinmeier as an “anti-democratic tyrant” on X.
What To Watch For
Musk’s advocacy for Germany’s AfD party comes as the country is set to hold a parliamentary election on Feb. 23 following the collapse of its governing coalition in November. Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union and its sister party, the Christian Social Union, lead the latest election polls with about 30% support, with the far-right AfD in second with about 20%. Both parties have gained significant support since polls conducted between 2022 and 2023, as support for Scholz’s Social Democrats declined. Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU party, is favored to become the next chancellor.
Key Background
Musk has backed the AfD party and its leader, Alice Weidel, for months on social media. In a post earlier this month, Musk said “Only @AfD can save Germany.” AfD, a strongly anti-immigrant party, has called for mass deportations from Germany, abandoning the Euro and opposing climate action. The party has sparked outrage and protests for inflammatory remarks, including accusations that some echo Nazi rhetoric, including comments by European Parliament member Maximilian Krah last year that not all Nazi paramilitaries are “automatically criminals,” while party leader Björn Höcke has faced multiple fines for using Nazi slogans. In a virtual appearance at an AfD rally over the weekend, Musk said the party would “Make Germany great again” and said the “future of civilization could hang in this election.”
What Have Other European Leaders Said About Musk?
Musk has faced criticism from other European leaders in recent weeks, both for his advocacy for far-right parties and for his controversial gesture at Trump’s inaugural rally. French President Emmanuel Macron warned about Musk’s support for AfD earlier this month: “Ten years ago, if anyone had said that the owner of one of the world’s largest social networks would support a new reactionary alliance and intervene directly in elections, even in Germany, who would have imagined it?” Italian President Sergio Mattarella previously told Musk to stop interfering in Italian politics following posts he made on X criticizing Italian judges. Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s minister of labor and social economy, quit X after Musk’s gesture at Trump’s rally, stating the “entire world witnessed Elon Musk mimicking a Nazi salute during Donald Trump’s inauguration.”
Forbes Valuation
Musk is worth about $414.6 billion, according to Forbes estimates, making him the richest man in the world, largely because of his 42% stake in SpaceX and 12% stake in Tesla, both of which he co-founded.
Further Reading
Elon Musk Addresses Germany’s Far-Right AfD Party In Surprise Rally Appearance—Amid ‘Nazi Salute’ Controversy (Forbes)
Elon Musk Supports Germany’s Far-Right AfD Party In Opinion Piece (Forbes)
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