- Elon Musk is promoting extremist right -wing movements in Europe, which strengthens political parties such as AFD in Germany.
- AFD was founded in 2013, known for its anti -immigration and combating European Union.
- Musk’s support for the party helped the party gain global importance.
Illon Musk praises his political power at home and abroad.
On Saturday, Musk actually spoke at a campaign event on the alternative to the German party, or AFD, a right-wing political group-from other things-anti-immigration severely.
In his direct speech, alongside AFD leader Alice Widel, Musk told about 4,500 supporters from AFD that they should celebrate German culture.
“It is good to be proud of German culture and German values, and not to lose this in a kind of cultural pluralism that relieves everything,” he said.
Musk’s support for AFD-which came primarily in the form of leaflets on its social media platform, X, but also in articles and speeches in newspapers-has never helped a marginal political party that enters the prevailing and raised it in front of it. From a global audience.
What is AFD Germany?
AFD was founded in 2013, which is “very extreme even according to the extreme right -wing European standards.”
“It is an isolated party in the European Parliament,” he said. “Even the other right -wing extremist ends do not want to cooperate with AFD.”
It was not always that way. Affaimer said that AFD was one day a “upper party”, which is common among those in the right policy in the center. Within a few years, she had been taken to the right on issues such as immigration and the role of Islam in Europe.
“We had this huge flow of refugees from the Middle East, most of them from Syria, and this is the acceleration of this party.” “From about 2017, they were a national power in politics.”
Riceheimer said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which raised concerns about energy security, helped the party to increase its support.
“What distinguishes them from many other radical right parties in Europe is that they are completely open to their relationship with right -wing extremist actors outside the party and even within the party. So they are on the path of somewhat taking the margins of the political spectrum.
These affiliations drew the attention of the local intelligence agency in Germany, which put the group under the control of extremism.
It is a sign that protests Elon Musk and AFD leader Alice Widel, where thousands are involved in a protest against AFD party in Heumarkt Square in Cologne, Germany.
AFD is also national, and encouraging the union’s anti -European agenda.
“[The AfD] “It is characterized by the European Union control platform, combating insulation, and a platform for combating immigration, which is topped with a critical position regarding some dark seasons of German history,” said Thomas Zital, a professor of politics at the University of Goethe Frankfurt. “What is missing with this party is a promising constructive economic agenda that corresponds to the anti -organization situations that the musk wants to see.”
What Musk said about AFD
“I am very excited for AFD. I think you are really the best hope in Germany,” Musk told the crowd on Saturday.
The CEO of Tesla, who owns a major electric cars factory near Berlin, was publicly supported in a short job in X in December, and soon wore all over the world and raised German policy. Germany holds national elections in late February.
Then, in an editorial in December for Wilt Sonag, a major German newspaper, Musk described as “the last spark of hope for this country.”
Welt am Sonntag and Business Insider owned by Axel Springer SE.
Musk praised AFD stances on “controlled migration”, limited governmental organization, and re -publishing comments on X, which accused Europe and the United States of excessive use of the “right -wing” brand. German counselor Olaf Schools also called for “an incompetent fool.”
He has been engaged in extremist right -wing policy in other countries as well. Call For UK Prime Minister Kiir Starmer, he will be removed from his post and to release Tommy Robinson, a British -right -wing British instigator, his real name, Stephen Yaxley Lennon.
“He supports not only AFD but also more than right -wing extremist actors. For example, Tommy Robinson in the United Kingdom, a prisoner,” said Arzheimer’s. “Also, many other right -wing extremists have become more and more on Twitter, X, all you want to call, and this is very problematic when we talk about Elon Musk.”
MUSK posted on the phrase X Maga-Adjacet, “Make Europe Wonderful”, one of the many comments That caught the attention of European leaders.
“I think you want more self -determination for Germany and other countries in Europe and less than Brussels,” Musk said in his speech on Saturday. “There is a lot of bureaucracy from Brussels, controlling a type of international elite.”
Musk representatives did not immediately respond to the comment.
The impact of Musk’s support for AFD
Elon Musk indicates during the presentation of President Donald Trump in a square in Washington, DC.
Riceheimer said that the strength and influence of Musk grow, as well as its impact on democracy.
“He has this social media control. He has a lot of money. He has a huge factory in Germany,” said Arzheimer. “He has many other commercial interests, so it is increasingly seen as a political threat to liberal democracy.”
Although Musk was martyred with his economic interests in Germany in his article, Arzheimer said it was also possible that this was just his view of the world.
“Everything may be useful. Every game may be for him. It may be on a personal trip. I have no idea. But it is very methodological,” he said.
AFD has gained a traction in Germany, and opinion polls now indicate that it may get up to 20 % of the vote on February 23. However, the party is still isolated. The main German parties have so far refused to join them in any alliance.
Musk’s support for youth and business leaders may be concerned, but it can also isolate the party.
Arzheimer said that musk, for example, caused a stir in Germany after his speech in the opening celebration of Trump last week. While talking to a crowd of people, Musk made what some have interpreted as a fascist greeting.
Al -Musk denied a few days later that his gesture was nothing but innocent, and published on X: “It was amazing how the old media tried madly to cancel me to say” my heart comes out to you “and transferred my hand from my heart to an audience.”
In Germany, Arzheimer said that a gesture like this could land a person in a dangerous trouble, regardless of his intention.
“Of course, this gesture is illegal in Germany,” he said. “This will not happen, but in theory, it can be persecuted because it is seen as a symbol of Nazi rule, and these symbols are banned in Germany.”
“He pushes these ideas. It brings all these extremists to Twitter,” added Arzheimer. “I think that many people were not surprised in Germany or, in the European context, from which he behaves like this at the opening ceremony.”
