German politicians slam AfD’s assist for Elon Musk as ‘intrusive’ electoral affect By Reuters

BERLIN (Reuters) – U.S. billionaire Elon Musk was criticized on Sunday by German authorities and opposition politicians for an opinion piece he wrote in assist of the right-wing Various for Germany (AfD) get together ), which they take into account “intrusive” on account of exterior affect.

Musk’s assist for the AfD, which is anticipated to function an out of doors adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, comes as Germans are set to vote on February 23 after the collapse of a coalition authorities led by the chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The commentary revealed in German within the newspaper Welt am Sonntag, flagship of the Axel Springer media group, expands on an article by Musk on the social community strategy of the get together. regulation, taxes and market deregulation.

In response to the publication of her remark, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper’s opinion part declared on X that she had resigned.

Friedrich Merz, chief of the Christian Democratic opposition and present favourite to succeed Scholz as chancellor, mentioned in an interview with the Funke Media Group: “I do not bear in mind a comparable case of interference, within the historical past of Western democracies, within the electoral marketing campaign of a pleasant nation. »

Merz known as the remark “intrusive and pretentious.”

Saskia Esken, co-leader of Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), has pledged fierce resistance to makes an attempt by state actors in addition to the rich and influential to affect Germany’s elections.

“In Elon Musk’s world, democracy and employees’ rights are obstacles to extra income,” Esken informed Reuters. “We are saying it very clearly: our democracy is defensible and it can’t be purchased.”

Welt’s designated editor-in-chief defended the choice to publish the commentary, saying democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of opinion, together with polarizing positions.

The AfD comes second in opinion polls and could possibly thwart a center-right or center-left majority. Germany’s important events, essentially the most centrist, have pledged to keep away from any assist for the AfD on the nationwide degree.