In a surprising turn of events leading up to Germany's upcoming elections, the government has accused Elon Musk, the billionaire tech entrepreneur, of attempting to meddle in the political landscape by endorsing the far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD). A government spokesperson stated, “It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election,” referring to both Musk’s posts on social media and his recent opinion piece in the Welt am Sonntag (The Guardian).

Musk's condemnation of the German leadership has sparked controversy. In his article, he described AfD as Germany’s “last spark of hope,” advocating for their approach to economic policy, regulation, and taxes. This endorsement, however, has prompted significant backlash within the German political sphere, with critics labeling his remarks as “the greatest nonsense” (Newsweek) and calling it an attempt to undermine Germany’s democratic processes.

Germany is set to hold elections on February 23, a result of the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government. The political landscape is already fraught, with the AfD polling in second place, behind the conservative CDU/CSU coalition, just before the elections. The government has expressed its concerns regarding the AfD, which is classified by federal authorities as a suspected extremist party.

Criticism of Musk has crossed party lines in Germany. Scholz himself made remarks regarding the influence of social media, noting in a New Year’s speech that “[the election] will not be decided by the owners of social media channels” (The Guardian). He emphasized the need for the public to resist manipulation from figures like Musk as powerfully expressed in recent social media discourse.

The uproar surrounding Musk's political commentary even led to the resignation of Eva Marie Kogel, the opinion editor of Welt am Sonntag, who stepped down in protest of the decision to publish his piece. This resignation highlights the deep divisions Musk's involvement has created within the German media environment.

While defending his right to engage in the political debate, Musk’s influence in Germany is drawing parallels to the controversial political practices seen in other countries. Members of the AfD have recognized his backing as potentially beneficial in the tough electoral race ahead, and Musk has demonstrated a pattern of stirring contentious political waters in both the U.S. and Europe.

This storyline continues to unfold as the elections near, with public opinion on Musk's involvement likely to play a critical role in the discourse leading up to February. For more information, visit AP News or CNN.