In a significant development in German politics, Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), revealed that she received a congratulatory call from Elon Musk after her party's remarkable performance in the recent national elections. The AfD managed to secure 20.8% of the vote, marking its best result ever, although it still fell short of being the front-runner.
Weidel said she missed Musk's call and discovered it the next day after checking her missed calls. Musk’s call followed the party’s electoral success, where it finished second—almost double its share from the previous election. Musk later reiterated his support publicly on social media, congratulating Weidel and suggesting that if the party's growth continues, it could become the majority party by the next election cycle.
Despite the significant electoral gain, the AfD faces challenges in forming a ruling coalition, as Friedrich Merz, leader of the winning Christian Democrats, ruled out any collaboration with the far-right party. Portions of the AfD, which campaigns on reducing immigration and handling economic issues, have drawn scrutiny and have even been labeled as extremist by German intelligence.
Earlier this year, Musk publicly endorsed the AfD in a video meeting with Weidel and made calls to party rallies, advocating for the party and urging supporters to rally their communities behind them. His involvement—an unusual move for a foreign billionaire and advisor to political figures—has sparked debates regarding external influences on national politics.
While weeding out foreign influence in elections tends to be a norm, Musk's engagement led to a surge in interest and donations from business figures to the AfD, although its electoral impact is yet uncertain as many are divided or hesitant about aligning with such a controversial party.
