Musk likely to host German far-right leader for online chat

BERLIN (Reuters) – Elon Musk looks likely to host the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of Germany’s Feb. 23 national election in a live interview on X, his social media platform.

In December, the Tesla mogul endorsed the AfD, an anti-immigration, anti-Islamic party labelled as right-wing-extremist by German security services, causing consternation in Berlin, where all other parties have ruled out working with a party they regard as dangerous and undemocratic.

A spokesperson for the AfD said on Thursday that party leader Alice Weidel was in touch with Musk’s office, but said he could give no further details at present. Earlier, newswire dpa reported the two would talk on X, Musk’s social media platform, on Jan. 10.

Musk, the world’s richest man, has become vocal in his support for far right and anti-establishment parties in Europe since spending a quarter of a billion dollars to help secure Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

He called German Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool” and said he should resign after a deadly car attack on a German Christmas market. Musk also described German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as a “tyrant” for criticising the AfD in a speech.

Now frequently seen with Trump, Musk has posted in support of Britain’s anti-establishment Reform party as well as the AfD. Both parties are loosely influenced by economic libertarian and anti-immigration ideas.

In December, Musk hinted that an online encounter between him and the AfD’s Weidel was in the works, posting that “when I and Alice do an X Spaces conversation” critics would “lose their minds”.

Leaders of other parties have condemned Musk’s intervention in German politics. Scholz told voters in a New Year’s address that the Feb. 23 election would be decided not by billionaires but by German voters.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Gareth Jones)