Summary

Elon Musk sparked outrage in Germany by endorsing the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party on his platform, X, claiming “only the AfD can save Germany.”

The AfD, which polls second ahead of Germany’s February snap election, has been labeled extremist by German intelligence.

Political leaders accused Musk of election interference, while others criticized his remarks as harmful. Musk later doubled down, calling for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s resignation.

Musk’s comments align with his past support for far-right and anti-immigration figures across Europe and beyond.

  • acargitz@lemmy.ca
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    3 days ago

    We’re running into the paradox of tolerance real quick here folks. Democracies need to legislate limits to the political influence of rich idiots and soon, otherwise we’ll all end up like the US.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      These are rules that are supposed to already exist though. Foreign political influence is always considered a bad thing by the country receiving it. The UK and Germany should have strong protections against it but apparently they don’t.

    • pyre@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      lol as if they don’t like them. they themselves are rich idiots, the only difference is that ironically they don’t have as much political influence as unelected rich idiots.

    • fibojoly@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      Well, funny thing is we do have rules about what you can and cannot say, in Europe. I’m looking forward to him discovering those little subtleties, since he clearly cannot shut his trap.

  • PedroMaldonado@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    You know what bothers me? Musk knows hes bullshitting everyone and it seems like its fucking laugh to him. Remember when the hyper rich built libraries and funded colleges and, i dunno, just gave back? To think, just a few short years ago, he was presenting as some kind of visionary. Turns out, hes just a capitalist asshole.

    • CaptainThor@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Noblesse oblige still exists, but the loudest morons with wealth don’t do it. Classy people with wealth certainly still do

    • Snowclone@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Matches up with history. Hitler had a giant portrait of Henry Ford in his office. American racism, genocide, and capitalism was a major inspiration for the Nazis

    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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      10 hours ago

      Well Elon isn’t Jewish, gay, roma, disabled, Germsn, polish, French, Italian, Russian, British, …or a poor American so it isn’t his problem

  • themaninblack@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    There is nothing surprising about a white South African promoting a racist political party. White South Africans are the most openly and unabashedly racist people on the planet.

  • slingstone@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Save Germany from what? Being a successful, modern country that takes care of its people?

    • Miaou@jlai.lu
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      2 days ago

      Ugh, I must live in alternate-reality Germany. Not like AfD can improve things, but come on

      • slingstone@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I genuinely apologize for my ignorance. Germany looks like a damned paradise of free healthcare and other social welfare programs from the States. What issues are you facing over there?

        • raef@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          Just want to clarify that healthcare is not free; there are insurance companies and coverage is paid for.

          The difference is they are more regulated and everyone must have insurance coverage

        • Khaliso@slrpnk.net
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          2 days ago

          Mainly missed opportunities due to inefficiencies and conflicts of interest in politics I’d say?

          • Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            2 days ago

            The biggest issue is a lack of investments due to us putting a block of taking on new government debt into our constitution so there never is enough money to invest in things like the infrastructure. That and too much bureaucracy in everything.

  • Sam_Bass@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Musk reminds me of that Blofeld character that was in one of those lethal weapon flicks

  • Fedizen@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    If luigi killed this guy I would not shed a single tear.

    I would crack open an ice cold beer.

  • matlag@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    You should be more undersantding. Since Trump is now enraged because people call Musk the President, Musk needs to find a backup country where he’ll be called the leader before Trump kicks him out. That’s all just risk mitigation!

  • nutsack@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    vietnamese people think elon musk and donald trump are right about everything because they are smart because they are rich and because america is a democracy

    they are deified, basically. just like ho chi minh

  • lemmydividebyzero@reddthat.com
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    3 days ago

    This country collapses when the far right party is in power.

    We have a huge problem. Me need young people from other countries, because Germany is pretty old.

    Having those clowns in power will worsen the problem.

    • john89@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      An unfortunate truth is that this generation’s youth is actually more conservative than the previous one…