Elon Musk criticized Berlin’s support for NGOs rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean today, after reproducing a post yesterday Friday advocating the election victory of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

“Do the Germans know this?’ the American billionaire wrote yesterday on the social networking platform X (formerly Twitter), reproducing a post from an account called “Radio Genoa‘, which criticized migrant rescues in the Mediterranean by Berlin-backed NGOs and concluded ‘let’s hope the AfD wins the elections’.

Regional elections are expected to be held on October 8 in Germany, in the states of Bavaria (east) and Hesse (center).

“Yes. And it’s called saving lives,” the German Foreign Ministry replied to X.

“So, you are proud of it. Interesting. Frankly, I doubt that the majority of German public opinion supports this. Have you taken a poll? Is it really a violation of Italy’s sovereignty for Germany to transfer a large number of illegal immigrants to Italian soil? This makes us think of an invasion…“, the owner of the Tesla electric car industry and the Space X company continued during last night.

“Illegal immigration must stop but I am absolutely in favor of a significant expansion and simplification of legal immigration,” Elon Musk also wrote on X in the interim.

Yesterday, Friday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned that her country no longer wants to welcome migrants rescued by foreign NGOs.

Rome accuses Berlin of funding NGOs rescue boats in the Mediterranean, some of which operate under the German flag. Georgia Meloni wrote to Chancellor Olaf Soltz this week to express her “astonishment” at the grants.

German Foreign Minister Analena Burbock on Thursday defended the role of NGOs rescuing migrants trying to reach Europe through Italy.

“Rescuing people at sea is a legal and European obligation“, he underlined.

The reception of refugees has returned to the center of public debate in Germany with the AfD’s strong push for which voting intentions are reaching record highs.

At the beginning of September, Elon Musk threatened to take legal action against the Anti-Defamation League (ADL, which fights against anti-Semitism and racism), which he accuses of defaming his social media.