Germany’s Olaf Scholz blasts back at Elon Musk in New Year’s address

 

Germany’s Olaf Scholz blasts back at Elon Musk in New Year’s address

 

Billionaire’s animosity toward German mainstream politicians and his affection for the AfD could bode poorly for Germany’s next government.

 

December 31, 2024 1:05 pm CET

By Laura Hülsemann

https://www.politico.eu/article/elon-musk-afd-versus-germany-olaf-scholz-new-year-election-speech/

 

Chancellor Olaf Scholz hit back at tech billionaire Elon Musk for attempting to influence the outcome of Germany’s snap election on Feb. 23 by endorsing the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).

 

“You, the citizens, decide what happens in Germany,” Scholz said in a New Year’s address to be broadcast Tuesday, according to a text circulated in advance. “It’s not up to the owners of social media.”

 

While Scholz did not mention Musk by name, it was clear that he was referring to the X owner. Over the weekend, Musk doubled down on his support for the AfD in an opinion piece in German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

 

The endorsement sparked a firestorm in Germany, with the government and politicians across the spectrum accusing Musk of attempting to influence the outcome of the February election.

 

“Musk is strengthening those who are weakening Europe,” Germany’s vice chancellor and economy minister, Robert Habeck, also said in his New Year’s address.

 

Musk has launched a series of attacks on German maintream politicians in recent days while praising the AfD. In one post, he referred to Scholz as “Oaf Schitz.” In another, he referred to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as an “anti-democratic tyrant.”

 

Musk’s animosity toward German mainstream politicians and his affection for the AfD could bode poorly for Germany’s next government. Musk is U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s most powerful adviser, and his opinions could well have a big influence on the next White House’s policies when it comes to Germany.

 

Currently, Germany’s conservative alliance, led by chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz, is ahead in polls. Merz has suggested he’d be able to cut “deals” with Trump should he win the race.

 

The AfD has grown increasingly extreme since its founding as a euroskeptic party in 2013. Germany’s federal domestic intelligence classifies the party as a suspected extremist organization.

 

Musk, a tech billionaire and electric vehicle mogul, first supported the AfD in a tweet two weeks ago.  He has recently also supported several other European populist, right-wing politicians, such as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

 

Scholz, in his New Year’s speech, said that while the most extreme opinions and loudest voices get the most attention, “the vast majority of reasonable and decent people” would decide the outcome of the February election.