Billionaire Elon Musk has caused reactions in Germany and Britain after his intervention in Germany’s internal affairs as he supported the Alternative for Germany (AfD).

“Presumptive next chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is horrified by the idea that Germany should follow the example of Elon Musk and (Argentine President) Javier Millay. He strongly rejects a pro-liberty approach and refuses any talks with the AfD ” says the 24-year-old influencer in the video she posted on X.

“Only the AfD can save Germany,” commented the eccentric midwife bluntly.

THE German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not hide his displeasure with Musk’s comment yesterday: “freedom of speech also applies to billionaires,” he said during a press conference.

“But freedom of speech also means that we can say things that are not right and are not good political advice,” he added.

This was not the first time the owner of X has commented on German politics.

On 8 November he had called Scholz “crazy”, following the collapse of Germany’s governing coalition on 6 November, an event which will lead the country to snap elections on 23 February.

Last summer, ahead of regional elections in eastern German states where the AfD is making historic records, Musk said the party’s views did not appear to him to be “far-right”.

An opinion he repeated last Friday night: “Of course it is NOT far-right. (It has) just sensible policies.”

And soon after, shortly after the attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg became known, Musk wrote to X that “this is the direct result of mass, unregulated immigration.”

The csingle secretary of the Social Democrats (SPD) of Solz warned against any outside interference in the German election campaign.

“It’s a worrying sign if billionaire Elon Musk is now actively involved in the election campaign with the X platform to give the AfD a boost,” Mattias Mears told t-online, adding in English “Stay out, Elon” ( stay away, Ilon).

THE Christian Democrats (CDU) MEP Dennis Radke called Musk a “threat.” “Trump, Farage and now the AfD. Added to these is the intervention of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin”, he wrote in X.

Alternative for Germany — a far-right anti-immigrant and pro-Russian party that claims to be against the system — welcomed Musk’s support.

In a video posted on X, in front of a Christmas tree, party leader Alice Weidel thanked the American billionaire and wished him and Trump “the best for their upcoming term.”

According to opinion polls for February’s elections, the AfD has about 19%. The CDU/CSU conservatives are in first place with 32% and the SPD’s share hovers around 15%.

All German parties rule out working with the AfD to form a government.

Labor and Conservatives in the crosshairs

Elon Musk, head of electric vehicle maker Tesla which has a factory in southern Berlin, has made no secret of his sympathy for European populist parties.

He is believed to be close to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, head of Italy’s right-wing, populist Adelfia party.

At the same time, the richest man in the world has intervened in British politics, increasing his attacks on Labour.

But conservative Tories were also worried a few weeks ago when the possibility of Musk donating 100 million appeared. dollars to Nigel Farage’s far-right Reform UK party.

On Monday Farage, who was elected as an MEP in July, met the billionaire at Trump’s Florida home and told the BBC that Musk wanted to “help” his party.

Musk “said that Labor and the Conservative Party are one and the same and left us in no doubt that he supports us,” Farage wrote in a Daily Telegraph op-ed published on Wednesday.

Tory deputy leader Dominic Johnson was quick to accuse the American billionaire of “buying” Reform UK, whose rise in Britain’s recent general election helped crush the Conservatives.

The danger to the Tories from strengthening Reform UK is real, given the trend in Europe, said Russell Foster, professor of political science at King’s College.

“People like Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Nigel Farage (…) really loathe the traditional right,” which they mostly accuse of becoming too liberal on social issues, Foster noted.

Europe’s embattled conservative parties “were not destroyed by the left or the center, they were destroyed because even more right-wing movements developed,” he added.

At the moment Musk is mainly attacking the Labor government and Prime Minister Keir Starmer through X.

After riots and anti-immigrant incidents broke out in Britain this summer, the founder of Space X estimated that a “civil war” in the country is “inevitable” and accused the government of suppressing the unrest too violently.

He also advised people to avoid traveling to Britain, criticizing the government for its decision to release some prisoners in order to decongest prisons. At the time he wrote in X that London was “freeing pedophiles to make room for those convicted of their social media posts”.

At the same time, Musk has supported on the same social media a petition to hold new parliamentary elections in Britain, accusing Labor of leading “a tyrannical, police state”.

Musk “seems to think he’s on a mission against the establishment,” Foster pointed out.

Some observers believe that Musk may also be unhappy with the British government’s desire to tighten the laws governing social media.

Starmer also did not invite the billionaire to a conference of foreign investors held in Britain in September, which upset Musk, according to statements from people close to him.

But the situation is complicated after the election of Trump to the presidency of the USA, with whom Musk has become inseparable.

Labor, which has traditionally had closer ties to Democrats, has sought in recent months to reach out to Republicans. Starmer met Trump in New York in September.

A Downing Street spokesman assured that the British Prime Minister “looks forward to working with President Trump and his entire team, including Elon Musk.”

“Starmer is fully aware that he cannot alienate himself from the next American president” and to “maintain this ‘special relationship’ (ie between Britain and the US) he will have to be positive towards Washington regardless of who is there in the White House,” Foster estimated.