An op-ed by Elon Musk has caused a stir at the German newspaper Welt. The Sunday edition featured an article by Musk advocating for the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a party some German intelligence agencies have classified as right-wing extremist.
Part of the editorial board strongly opposed its publication; the head of the opinion section resigned over the piece. Musk reportedly wrote the op-ed at the suggestion of Mathias Döpfner, head of media group Axel Springer, which owns Welt and Bild.
The article followed a post on X by Musk claiming that “only the AfD can save Germany.” Germany will hold early parliamentary elections on February 23. Musk has previously expressed support for the AfD and criticized other parties, calling Chancellor Scholz a failure who should resign immediately.
Scholz has responded to Musk’s statements, asserting that “freedom of expression means you can say things that aren’t true.” In Welt, Musk argues that Germany is “on the brink of economic and cultural decline,” and claims the AfD has strong policies on key issues like the economy and migration. He disputes the far-right label, pointing out that AfD leader Alice Weidel has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka, asking rhetorically, “Does that sound like Hitler to you?
Please!” Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has labeled AfD branches in three eastern states—Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt—as right-wing extremist, citing remarks from party leaders and years of research. The new editor-in-chief of Welt, in an online response, argues that Musk’s portrayal of the party is overly optimistic, calling his dismissal of the far-right classification a “grave error.” Editorial staff reportedly warned against publishing what they saw as an AfD campaign piece disguised as a guest column.
Once the publication proceeded, Eva Marie Kogel, responsible for the opinion pages, resigned. Renowned German journalist Robin Alexander also expressed disapproval, stating, “Internal discussions are internal, but this nonsense must be countered,” on X.
Source: NOS