Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s closeness to the far right “endangers” democracy in Europe, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday.
“He supports the far right everywhere in Europe — in Great Britain, in Germany, in many, many other countries — and that is something that is completely unacceptable,” Scholz told a news conference in Berlin.
“It threatens the democratic development of Europe, it threatens our community and it must be criticized,” the German leader added.
Musk has joined right-wing figures and movements around the world, including supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany in the country’s upcoming snap federal election, scheduled for February 23.
The owner of the social networks is also one of the most vocal supporters of Donald Trump, securing himself a place in the inner circle of the newly elected US president, and he has also supported the British right-wing party Reform UK, with speculation that he may soon start funding the party.
Scholz said he had nothing against Musk’s expression of free speech, but: “His alignment with the far right, either for business interests or for his own political views, is unacceptable.”
The socialist chancellor’s comments are the latest in a series of clashes with Musk, who in turn called Scholz a “fool” and claimed he would “lose” the German federal election.
(Vijesti.ba)
