Published 15:33 IST, February 3rd 2025
Who Is Alice Weidel? The Far-right Banker Elon Musk Wants as German Chancellor
The billionaire entrepreneur, who previously backed Donald Trump with a $250 million investment, hosted Weidel in a live conversation on X this January.

Washington: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, known for his political endorsements, has now extended support to Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, as a potential chancellor.
After investing $250 million in Donald Trump ’s campaign, Musk is now turning his attention to European politics. He hosted Weidel in a live discussion on X (formerly Twitter) this January, ahead of Germany’s February 23 snap elections.
Musk has been vocal against Germany’s leadership, calling Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool” and branding President Frank-Walter Steinmeier a “tyrant” for his stance against AfD. The party, which has been classified as a right-wing extremist group by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency BfV, has been gaining traction in the country’s political landscape.
While details of Musk’s interaction with Weidel remain undisclosed, Weidel confirmed discussions with his office. Musk had earlier hinted on X that their conversation would provoke criticism from various quarters.
Who is Alice Weidel?
Born in 1979, Alice Weidel’s background is far from traditional for a politician. She holds a doctorate in economics, speaks fluent Mandarin, and worked at the Bank of China for six years before moving into consultancy roles, including a stint at Goldman Sachs. Weidel joined AfD in 2013, back when it focused on euroscepticism.
Her personal life contrasts sharply with her party’s conservative ideology. She is in a civil partnership with a Sri Lankan-born filmmaker, and the couple is raising two adopted sons. Despite AfD’s advocacy for traditional, heterosexual family structures, Weidel has dismissed contradictions within the party. In 2017, she told Deutsche Welle, “One or two people may feel aggrieved, but that also exists in other parties.”
Weidel has often expressed admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, particularly for her neoliberal economic policies. In an interview with German newspaper Bild, she said, “Thatcher took over Britain when the country was economically down and got it back on track.”
Her economic stance includes tax cuts, reduced welfare spending, and greater privatisation. She has also opposed Germany’s transition to a carbon-neutral economy, calling it an unnecessary financial burden on the country.
Updated 15:55 IST, February 3rd 2025