Elon Musk, billionaire and partner of the newly elected US President Donald Trump, published an article in “Welt am Sonntag” about the German parliamentary elections. In it, he explains his support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The head of the opinion department of the newspaper resigned in protest. Musk's text caused a conflict in the editorial board.
Just before Christmas, Musk wrote in X that only AfD can “save Germany”. In another post, he insulted German chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling him an “incompetent idiot.” This was interpreted in Germany as interference in the election campaign in this country.
“Germany is at a critical juncture – its future is on the brink of economic and cultural decline. As someone invested in Germany's industrial and technological landscape, I believe I have the right to speak openly about its political direction. my wife,” Musk said. now he wrote in “Welt am Sonntag”.
According to the billionaire, “Alternative for Germany is the last glimmer of hope for this country.” According to him, it is wrong to present the AfD as an extreme right-wing party, given that its leader, Alice Weidel, is from Sri Lanka. “Does that sound like Hitler to you?” asked the head of Tesla.
Elon Musk Abaka / PAP / EPA
Musk's approach is “fatally wrong”
“Welt am Sonntag” did not publish Musk's article separately, but placed it next to the text of Jan Philip Burgard, who will be the editor-in-chief of the “Welt” group from January. “Musk's diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach that only the AfD can save Germany is completely wrong,” wrote a representative of the newspaper.
German media reports that Musk's article sparked a debate in the editorial board. According to the website of the weekly newspaper “Spiegel”, on Friday morning there was an intense exchange of opinions in the editorial board – well-known members of the editorial board expressed critical opinions.
Eva Marie Kogel, the head of the opinion department of “Die Welt” and “Welt am Sonntag”, wrote on Saturday in X that she has resigned.
Conflict in the editorial board
To the DPA agency's question about the origin of the article and how to deal with internal criticism, the Axel Springer media group responded with a joint statement from the current editor-in-chief of the “Welt” group, Ulf Poshardt. Burghard's successor.
According to them, “democracy and journalism live on the basis of freedom of opinion”. This includes working with polar positions and their journalistic classification. “This will define Die Welt's compass in the future. We will develop Die Welt even more firmly as a forum for such discussions,” it says. Musk has economic interests not only in the USA, but also in Germany – the media reminds us. In 2022, he opened a large Tesla electric car factory near Berlin.
Early elections to the German Bundestag will be held on February 23.
Main photo source: Abaca/PAP/EPA
