In a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk, the renowned CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, made a congratulatory phone call to Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, after they achieved their best electoral result ever. Despite not meeting internal expectations, the AfD secured a notable 20.8% of the vote, marking a significant increase from 2021.
Weidel disclosed on Monday that she missed Musk's call but later found a message from him expressing his congratulations. He further amplified his support by retweeting a message from Hungary's Viktor Orban. Musk's comment noted that with such growth, the AfD could dominate the next election.
While the AfD celebrated their results, Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democrats, refused to consider a coalition with the AfD, keeping the party isolated in the political landscape. The AfD's stance on immigration and economic reform has led sections of it to be labeled as extremist by German authorities. However, Musk's engagement with Weidel highlights growing acceptance of far-right ideologies in mainstream dialogues, particularly after remarks from U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Musk's previous endorsements of the AfD on social media have spurred some political chatter, though it seems to have not significantly impacted the party's voters. Tino Chrupalla, AfD's co-leader, acknowledged that Musk's involvement drew interest and donations from other business figures, even if it didn’t translate into votes.
As discussions surrounding foreign intervention in national politics intensify, many are left wondering what Musk’s growing influence could mean for the future of the AfD and German politics as a whole.
