The German government on Monday accused Elon Musk of trying to influence its February election after the world’s wealthiest person penned an op-ed this weekend backing the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
“It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election through his statement,” government spokesperson Christiane Hoffman said at a media briefing on Monday, according to media reports.
Hoffman sought to downplay the significance of Musk’s efforts to rally support behind AfD, saying, “Freedom of expression also includes the greatest nonsense.”
The comments come after Musk, who first backed the AfD earlier this month, detailed his position in the German Welt am Sonntag newspaper, touching on a range of issues that he said Germany must address as it nears an “economic and cultural collapse.”
He defended his efforts to get involved in the political climate, saying he has the “right” to do so because he has “made significant investments” in Germany’s technological and industrial sectors.
Musk has also called for the resignation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In the op-ed, Musk, a close adviser of President-elect Trump, argued that Germany’s economy is handicapped by regulatory overreach and bureaucracy.
“The AfD has understood that economic freedom is not just desirable, but necessary. Its approach of reducing government over-regulation, cutting taxes and deregulating the market reflects the principles that made Tesla and SpaceX successful,” he wrote, according to a rough translation.
“If Germany wants to regain its industrial strength, it needs a party that doesn’t just talk about growth, but also takes policy action to create an environment where companies can thrive without heavy government intervention,” he added.
Musk has been tapped by Trump to lead a Department of Government Efficiency alongside fellow tech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.
