'Incompetent fool': Musk demands German chancellor's resignation after market attack
What's the story
In the wake of a deadly assault at a Christmas market in Magdeburg where a car rammed into a crowd, billionaire Elon Musk has demanded the resignation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He called Scholz an "incompetent fool" and proposed that "only the AfD can save Germany." He was responding in a thread about reports of the market incident, which claimed the lives of two people and injured a dozen others.
Political backlash
Musk's endorsement of far-right party draws criticism
Musk's endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has received widespread backlash. He further fueled the controversy by reposting a video by right-wing influencer Naomi Seibt criticizing other political leaders. Germany's domestic intelligence services have identified parts of the AfD as extremist, and mainstream parties refuse to work with it. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach called Musk's actions "undignified and highly problematic," raising concerns over X's role in spreading political agendas ahead of February's snap elections.
Official response
German officials respond to Musk's comments
Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democrats (FDP), directly replied to Musk on X. Although he agreed that migration needs to be controlled, Lindner called the AfD a "far-right extremist party" that is against freedom and business. He invited Musk to meet and learn about the FDP's values. Chancellor Scholz also responded to Musk's comments at a press conference, saying, "Freedom of speech applies to everyone, including multimillionaires." AfD leader Alice Weidel welcomed Musk's support on X.
Global impact
Musk's political influence under scrutiny
This incident has once again opened the debate on Musk's influence on global politics. In the past, he has expressed support for controversial personalities like Nigel Farage in the United Kingdom and Giorgia Meloni in Italy. Last month, Musk called for the sacking of Italian judges who had questioned the legality of government measures to prevent irregular immigration.