The hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a historic milestone in the recent national election, garnering 20.8 percent of the vote. Although this was not the overall result its leaders had anticipated, it was enough to earn them a congratulatory phone call from Elon Musk. The party's chancellor candidate, Alice Weidel, shared that she had missed Musk's initial call and later saw it as a missed notification on her phone. Upon investigating, she confirmed it was Musk who had expressed his congratulations personally.
A few hours later, Musk reiterated his support publicly by sharing a congratulatory note from Hungarian leader Viktor Orban on X, along with a comment that referenced the AfD's promising trajectory towards potentially becoming the majority party by the next election. This unprecedented performance marks the AfD's best showing since World War II, nearly doubling their previous share from 2021.
Despite their electoral gains, the AfD remains sidelined, as Christian Democratic Union leader Friedrich Merz has explicitly ruled out forming any coalition with the party. The AfD's platform advocates for stricter immigration control, increased deportations, and economic reform, although segments of the party have been identified as extremist by German domestic intelligence agencies.
Musk's involvement has drawn mixed reactions; earlier in the campaign, Vice President JD Vance also met with Weidel, suggesting that mainstream parties should engage with far-right factions. Musk's previous endorsements of the AfD, including a lengthy conversation hosted on his platform, and encouragements to rally support among voters, have raised eyebrows and questions about the influence of foreign figures in domestic elections.
While Musk's prominence as a global figure may have brought attention to the party, leadership acknowledged that his presence alone hasn't significantly swayed potential voters. Nevertheless, it has spurred new interest and financial contributions from other business leaders intrigued by the party's direction. As the political landscape in Germany continues to evolve, such external influences may play a critical role in shaping future narratives.
