German government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann on Monday said billionaire Elon Musk was trying to exert influence over the German election due to take place on February 23.
However, she also sought to downplay the sway that Musk’s interventions might have after declaring his support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
“It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election through his statements,” said Hoffmann.
“He is free to express his opinion. One does not have to share this opinion. Freedom of expression also includes the greatest nonsense,” she said.
Hoffmann stressed that the elections were a German matter to be decided by the voters at the ballot box.
“In Germany, elections are decided by voters at the ballot box,” she said, adding that the country’s “elections are a matter for Germans.”
The spokeswoman also pointed out that the AfD was under investigation by the German domestic intelligence service on suspicion of being a far-right extremist organization. At the state level, in some cases, it already has been.
What did Musk say?
Hoffmann’s comments were a response to Musk’s call for support for the AfD in the vote.
In an opinion piece for the conservative German newspaper Die Welt, Musk — who also owns the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter — described the AfD as “the last spark of hope for this country.”
The publication, juxtapositioned with a piece that claimed Musk was incorrect in his assessment, prompted the resignation of a Welt senior editor in protest.
When asked about Chancellor Olaf Scholz‘s view on the newspaper having published the piece, Hoffmann said this was not a matter for the chancellery.
“The chancellor does not comment on editorial decisions that have been made. Absolutely not.”
Musk, who has emerged as a close advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump, has justified his intervention in German politics with the fact that his carmaker Tesla operates a huge manufacturing plant to the east of Berlin.
Musk has also been accused of influencing the US election in November, both by using his profile on X and his promotion of $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes in swing states.
rc/wd (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
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