BERLIN: The German government has accused Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and owner of electric car maker Tesla, of interfering in the country’s elections, saying he is supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
According to an Al Jazeera report, the German government accused Elon Musk of benefiting the AfD through his articles published on the social networking website X and in newspapers.
German leaders said Musk was influencing the federal elections, where nationwide elections are being held next month after a political crisis.
Elon Musk had claimed that the AfD was the only political party that could save Germany from difficulties.
It should be noted that the AfD is considered Germany’s most popular far-right party, which was founded in 2013 and had 76 seats in the 733-member house before the dissolution of parliament.
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The AfD has been critical of Germany’s EU membership and has openly expressed its opposition to Islam, as well as its policy on refugees and openly opposed former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s policy of accepting refugees.
More than one million refugees arrived in Germany in 2015 under Angela Merkel.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has been in power in Germany since 2013. The ruling party in Germany, considered Europe’s largest economy, has been ruling with the help of various allies.
Last month, when the opposition tabled a motion of no confidence against SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz on December 16, he failed to save his rule.
The differences in Olaf Scholz’s coalition government had grown so much that he had fired the finance minister over his opposition to the budget, and he himself was considered to be a supporter of a no-confidence motion for new elections in the country.
Analysts believe that Olaf Scholz will suffer defeat in the elections, but he was nevertheless ready for pre-elections and said that new elections would set Germany on a new path.
