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Politico: Musk will face consequences for interfering in German election, says front-runner Merz [View all]
Politico - Musk will face consequences for interfering in German election, says front-runner Merz
The next German government’s response could be political, legal, or possibly target Musk’s gigafactory near Berlin, center-right leader says in interview.
February 14, 2025 12:53 pm CET
By Nette Nöstlinger
BERLIN — Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk should be prepared to face consequences for meddling in the German election campaign if he takes office.
“What happened in this election campaign cannot go unchallenged,” Merz, the front-runner from the center-right conservative alliance, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview. “It can be a political response. It can be a legal response. I want to analyze this calmly after this election campaign.” The country goes to the polls Feb. 23.
Tesla chief Musk caused an outcry in Germany by throwing his weight behind the far-right Alternative for Germany in the run-up to next weekend’s vote.
He first endorsed the AfD in a post on X, the social media platform he owns, last December. It was followed by a livestreamed chat with party leader Alice Weidel and a virtual appearance at a party conference.
Musk also used X to berate mainstream German politicians, calling center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz a “fool,” while touting the AfD as the only force that can “save” the country.
/snip
The next German government’s response could be political, legal, or possibly target Musk’s gigafactory near Berlin, center-right leader says in interview.
February 14, 2025 12:53 pm CET
By Nette Nöstlinger
BERLIN — Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk should be prepared to face consequences for meddling in the German election campaign if he takes office.
“What happened in this election campaign cannot go unchallenged,” Merz, the front-runner from the center-right conservative alliance, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview. “It can be a political response. It can be a legal response. I want to analyze this calmly after this election campaign.” The country goes to the polls Feb. 23.
Tesla chief Musk caused an outcry in Germany by throwing his weight behind the far-right Alternative for Germany in the run-up to next weekend’s vote.
He first endorsed the AfD in a post on X, the social media platform he owns, last December. It was followed by a livestreamed chat with party leader Alice Weidel and a virtual appearance at a party conference.
Musk also used X to berate mainstream German politicians, calling center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz a “fool,” while touting the AfD as the only force that can “save” the country.
/snip
11 replies
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