Updated 19:09 IST, January 17th 2025
Scholz Says Musk's Support For European Far-Right 'Completely Unacceptable'
German Chancellor Scholz condemned Elon Musk's support for the far-right AfD, calling it "completely unacceptable,"

Berlin: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Elon Musk's support for the far-right in Europe, calling it "completely unacceptable" on Friday. This adds to his earlier criticism of Musk's involvement in the German election campaign.
Musk recently stated that only the far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), could "save Germany," further fueling controversy surrounding his political comments.
Last week, the tech billionaire livestreamed on his social media platform X a chat with Alice Weidel, the party's candidate for chancellor in Germany's February 23 election, amplifying its message ahead of the vote.
Musk's Political Influence in Europe Raises Concerns
His interest in Germany and politics elsewhere in Europe, after he poured money and energy into helping Donald Trump win the US election, has set off alarm bells among politicians across the continent.
The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive has also demanded the release of jailed UK anti-Islam extremist Tommy Robinson and called British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government "tyrannical", claiming Starmer should be in prison.
Scholz has said it's important to "stay cool" over personal attacks, but that Germany's way forward "will not be decided by the owners of social media channels" but by German voters.
Asked on Friday about Musk's interventions, he said it's important to "criticise the right thing".
"What we must criticise is not that a billionaire, or a billionaire from other countries in a global world, expresses his opinion -- but what he says," Scholz said at a news conference.
"He supports the extreme right throughout Europe, in Britain, in Germany, in many, many other countries, and that is something that is completely unacceptable." "This endangers the democratic development of Europe, it endangers our community, and that must be criticised," Scholz said.
Polls show AfD in second place ahead of the election, with support of about 20 per cent, but Weidel has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the party.
Centre-right opposition leader Friedrich Merz has also criticised Musk's endorsement of AfD.
Merz's Union bloc leads polls and he is the favourite to become Germany's next leader.
(with agency inputs)
Published 19:09 IST, January 17th 2025