Germany’s Scholz vows to ignore Musk after feud- Washington Examiner
Recently, tensions have arisen between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and billionaire Elon Musk. Scholz has found Musk’s comments about him, which include calling him a “fool” and using derogatory names, quite bothersome, especially amidst Germany’s ongoing election season. In response to thes provocations, Scholz has chosen to adopt a non-reactive stance, stating that he intends to ignore Musk’s criticisms, urging others not to “feed the troll.” He emphasizes that social media is often filled with individuals seeking attention through sensational remarks.
The German government has also accused musk of attempting to influence the upcoming elections, particularly following musk’s public endorsement of the far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD). This has heightened concerns among German officials, who are wary of Musk’s actions and their potential impact on the political landscape in Germany. Scholz has emphasized that while he remains “cool” regarding Musk’s comments, the billionaire’s actions raise notable worry.
the exchange highlights the intersection of social media, politics, and international relations as Musk’s influence and remarks come under scrutiny from German authorities during a critical election period.
Germany’s Scholz vows to ignore Musk after feud: ‘Don’t feed the troll’
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz issued a rebuke of Elon Musk Saturday even as he vowed to ignore the tech billionaire’s sharp criticisms of him that have poured out over the past few weeks.
In an interview in the left-wing German newspaper Stern, Scholz brushed off the comments from Musk that have included him calling the German chancellor a “fool” and referring to him as “Oaf Schitz” in an election year for the European country.
“There are many people on social media who want to attract attention with shrill slogans,” Scholz said, before adding, “The rule is: don’t feed the troll.”
Scholz pivoted to saying it is “more worrying” that Musk endorsed the Alternative for Germany party in the country’s 2025 elections slated for February.
“I find it much more worrying than such insults that Musk is supporting a party like the AfD, which is in parts right-wing extremist, which preaches rapprochement with Putin’s Russia and wants to weaken transatlantic relations,” he said.
The AfD is mainly characterized by its anti-immigration stance, which has won laudits among Germans disillusioned with the country’s immigration system. Still, while surging in the polls, the party has faced claims from left-wing officials that it is “right-wing extremist.”
Musk has rebuked that characterization, saying it is “clearly false.”
“The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” he said.
Musk is also slated to have a conversation with AfD leader Alice Weidel on X on Jan. 9.
The tech billionaire and co-chair of President-elect Donald Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency is not the only U.S. official to wade into this election.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, while not offering an endorsement of any party, posted on X that while “American media slanders AfD as Nazi-lite,” the AfD is “most popular in the same areas of Germany that were most resistant to the Nazis.”
A snap election in Germany was triggered following German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is of the Social Democratic Party as is Scholz, ordering parliament dissolved. Scholz lost majority control in November after firing his finance minister. The election will determine if Scholz’s party can regain the majority or if a new majority government will rule.
Scholz urged the German public earlier in the week to not let Musk influence the election, saying the citizens “decide what happens in Germany,” not “the owners of social media channels.”
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