German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called the statements of US billionaire Elon Musk “false” and condemned his support for the right-wing radical party Alternative for Germany (AfD). He said this in an interview with Stern, AFP reports.
Musk’s false statements
In response to the attacks by Musk, who called Scholz “crazy” in November and described him as “ridiculously incompetent” on 20 December, the chancellor called for calm:
“In Germany, everything happens in accordance with the will of the citizens, not because of the false statements of an American billionaire,” Scholz said.
Scholz also sharply rejected Musk’s accusations against German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whom he called a “tyrant”.
“The German President is not an anti-democratic tyrant, and Germany is a strong and stable democracy, regardless of what Elon Musk says,” the Chancellor stressed.
Criticism of AfD support
Scholz believes that Musk’s support for the AfD, a party that advocates rapprochement with Russia and weakening of transatlantic ties, is much more dangerous.
“This is much more worrying than his insults,” he said.
The AfD, which is second in the polls with 19%, confirmed that it is in regular contact with Musk’s team. On 9 January, Musk is expected to talk to party leader Alice Weidel on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Scholz is not looking for a dialogue with Musk
When asked whether Scholz plans to invite Musk to a discussion, he replied:
“I don’t think it’s necessary to try to please Mr Musk. Let others do that.”
The Chancellor recalled that their last meeting took place in March 2022 during the opening of the Tesla plant in Brandenburg, where the local AfD protested against the construction.
Musk, known for his interference in European political processes, also criticises the European Commission and uses his influence to support far-right movements in various countries.
