Elon Musk has stepped into more than just U.S. politics and is now showing support for a far-right German political party. The billionaire, known for backing current President Donald Trump, voiced his approval on Friday for Alternative for Germany-AfD after the German government collapsed earlier this week.
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” Musk wrote on Friday, sharing a video from far-right activist Naomi Seibt. The AfD, which has recently gained more followers, promotes populist and anti-immigration ideas under a “Germany first” banner. However, the party has faced accusations of reviving Nazi-era beliefs and slogans. In May, a German court allowed the country’s intelligence agency to keep the AfD under surveillance due to concerns that it could threaten democracy.
Backing Populism and Extremism?
The AfD’s youth group, called the Young Alternative (JA), has been officially labeled an “extremist” organization by German authorities. One of the party’s main candidates in Thuringia, Björn Höcke was found guilty this year for using banned Nazi slogans in public.
Despite this, the AfD has grown in popularity. It recently became the first far-right party since World War II to win a state election in Germany. Still now, all major political parties in the country have refused to work with the AfD in forming a ruling government.
This isn’t the first time Musk has commented on German politics. In June, he responded to one of Seibt’s videos by questioning why the AfD is called “far-right” when, in his view, their policies didn’t seem extreme. Last month, he also criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling him a “fool” after his coalition government fell apart.
On Friday, Musk continued discussing the AfD online, saying their stance on immigration “sounds reasonable” in response to a user’s post. He also started following AfD leader Alice Weidel on X (formerly Twitter). Weidel thanked Musk for his support, calling the AfD “the only alternative” for Germany and wishing Musk and Trump success.
Christian Lindner, the leader of Germany’s Free Democratic Party, responded to Musk, cautioning him against making quick judgments from afar. Lindner wrote that while immigration control is important, the AfD opposes freedom and business and is an extremist group.
Musk has shown increasing support for far-right movements in Europe. Earlier this year, he commented on anti-immigration riots in the UK, saying, “Civil war is inevitable” in response to posts blaming the unrest on mass immigration and open borders.
This week, Nigel Farage, a British populist and Trump ally, revealed Musk might fund his Reform UK party. Writing in The Telegraph, Farage claimed Musk strongly supported them and was in talks to provide financial backing.
