Elon Musk penned an op-ed in Die Welt endorsing Germany’s far-right AfD party, prompting criticism and a commentary editor’s resignation. Vice President-elect JD Vance called the op-ed “interesting,” noting the AfD’s popularity in areas historically resistant to Nazism, a point countered by Germany’s ambassador to the U.S. The German government accused Musk of attempting to influence the upcoming election, while Musk’s support for the AfD, which opposes immigration and has called for mass deportations, has drawn significant international attention. The AfD remains a prominent party despite being shunned by other major German political forces.
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Elon Musk published a pro-AfD opinion piece in Germany’s *Welt am Sonntag*, prompting the opinion editor’s resignation. Musk’s commentary, which downplayed the AfD’s extremism, follows his prior social media endorsement of the party. The newspaper’s editor-in-chief and publisher responded, acknowledging freedom of speech while criticizing Musk’s proposed solution. This event occurs ahead of Germany’s February election, where the AfD’s strong showing could impact coalition possibilities.
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Germany’s upcoming snap elections, precipitated by the collapse of Chancellor Scholz’s coalition, are facing significant threats of foreign interference, primarily from Russia. The BfV, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, has established a task force to counter potential disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, sabotage, and espionage aimed at influencing the election outcome. These actions are viewed as retaliation for Germany’s strong support of Ukraine. The BfV highlights the risk of foreign actors supporting specific candidates or parties to undermine the democratic process.
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John Q. Hosedrinker