Elon Musk has endorsed the far-right AfD party in Germany, which is polling strongly ahead of the snap elections. The AfD is known for its strong skepticism of mass immigration and its impact on Western societies. Musk's endorsement aligns with his apparent ideological preference for right-wing or far-right movements that focus on immigration and cultural issues.
European leaders have criticized Elon Musk's political interventions. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed disbelief that a social media platform owner would support reactionary movements and intervene in elections. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz advised against feeding the troll, describing Musk as an erratic billionaire. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly responded to Musk's accusations, defending his record and condemning misinformation.
Elon Musk played a significant role in the US presidential election by endorsing Donald Trump. His support was crucial for Trump's campaign, and Musk has since maintained a close relationship with the president-elect, even becoming a frequent visitor to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's Winter White House.
In Latin America, Elon Musk has had contentious relationships with some leaders, such as Brazil's Supreme Court temporarily blocking X (formerly Twitter) for spreading misinformation and Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro blocking access to X after a public fallout. However, Musk has positive relationships with leaders like El Salvador's Nayib Bukele and Argentina's Javier Milei, with whom he shares interests in AI and Bitcoin.
Elon Musk's upcoming interview with AfD leader Alice Weidel on his X platform is significant because it provides the far-right party with a major international platform just weeks before Germany's snap elections. The AfD, which often feels marginalized by German media, sees this as an opportunity to gain visibility and legitimacy, potentially influencing the election outcome.
Elon Musk's close relationship with Donald Trump is important because Trump, as the incoming US president, holds significant global influence. Musk's alignment with Trump and his potential role in the US administration could shape international diplomatic dynamics, especially as Musk continues to intervene in the politics of other countries, such as Germany and the UK.
Over the last few days the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, has turned his attention to European politics.
The billionaire owner of X has been tweeting relentlessly his criticism of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He’s also endorsed the far-right AfD party ahead of next month’s snap elections in Germany. These actions have been criticised by both the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Musk is known for being outspoken on political issues across the world. He endorsed incoming President Donald Trump during the US election, is close friends with the Prime Minister of Italy and has gotten into public disagreements with political figures in Brazil and Venezuela.
We discuss Musks’ recent takes with the BBC’s Berlin correspondent Jessica Parker and Maria Clara Montoya from the WITW team takes a look at some of the feuds and friendships Musk has in Latin America.