By The Rio Times | Created at 2025-01-10 08:34:22 | Updated at 2025-01-10 13:41:16
5 hours ago
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, openly endorsed the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party during a live audio chat on his platform X. The conversation with AfD co-leader Alice Weidel drew over 200,000 simultaneous listeners.
Musk repeatedly urged German voters to support the AfD. He criticized Germany’s current situation under Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s leadership. The billionaire entrepreneur stated, “If you’re unhappy with the situation, you need to vote for change. I strongly recommend people vote for AfD”.
During the chat, Musk and Weidel criticized German policies on immigration, taxes, and energy. Weidel blamed former Chancellor Angela Merkel and the current government for the energy crisis and dependence on Russian gas.
Weidel accused Merkel of ruining Germany by opening borders to illegal immigration and dismantling the nuclear energy program. She claimed the country now faces an energy shortage due to poor governance.
Musk agreed with Weidel’s assessment, calling Germany’s decision to shut down nuclear plants “one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen.” He emphasized that Germany gave up one of its best energy alternatives at a critical time.
The conversation also touched on freedom of speech, with Weidel refuting associations between AfD and Nazism. She stated that Adolf Hitler was a communist who silenced the media upon taking power.
Elon Musk Urges Germans to Vote for AfD in Live Chat with Alice Weidel
Musk indirectly criticized governments seeking to regulate speech, saying, “Those who want to end free speech are the villains.” He warned that censorship could eventually be turned against its proponents.
When asked about Israel, Weidel confirmed her party’s commitment to defending the country. Musk responded by saying, “We have no choice but to eliminate people who oppose the existence of the State of Israel”.
The AfD party could potentially become the second-largest faction in the German Parliament in the upcoming elections on February 23. However, the center-right Union party has stated it won’t negotiate with AfD.
The European Commission closely monitored the live stream, having previously accused X of failing to comply with the bloc’s digital rules, particularly regarding the removal of content deemed “harmful”.
