As Germans prepare to head to the polls in a snap election next month, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is sounding the alarm about an invisible but potent threat to the country’s democracy: the influence of social media titans. In a somber New Year’s Eve address, Scholz urged citizens to resist manipulation by “the owners of social media channels” and pledged that the election’s outcome “will not be decided” by the likes of Twitter owner Elon Musk.
Scholz’s warning comes amid growing concern over Musk’s open endorsement of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, which German authorities have classified as a suspected extremist group. The tech billionaire, who serves as a close adviser to incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, has repeatedly touted the anti-Muslim, anti-migration party to his 147 million Twitter followers in recent weeks, declaring that “only the AfD can save Germany.”
Musk’s Meddling Sparks Outrage
Musk’s brazen attempt to put his thumb on the scale of German democracy has drawn swift condemnation from politicians across the ideological spectrum. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach of Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) slammed the intervention as “undignified and highly problematic,” while conservative front-runner Friedrich Merz called it “intrusive and presumptuous.”
“I cannot recall in the history of Western democracies a comparable case of interference in the election campaign of a friendly country.”
– Friedrich Merz, CDU/CSU candidate for Chancellor
Musk has remained defiant in the face of criticism, penning a guest editorial in the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in which he argued that Germany is teetering on the brink of economic and cultural collapse. He praised the AfD’s approach to regulation and taxes while dismissing characterizations of the party as radical – prompting the opinion editor to resign in protest.
AfD Forges Ties With Trump
The billionaire’s endorsement has electrified AfD members, who have been working assiduously to make inroads with the Trump camp in hopes of harnessing the ex-president’s electoral momentum. On the night of Trump’s victory, a group of AfD activists posed for photos at Mar-a-Lago chanting “Fight! Fight! Fight!” in German and English.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel, whom Musk praised as proof that allegations of right-wing extremism are “clearly false,” was among the first foreign politicians to congratulate Trump on his win. Musk cited Weidel’s “same-sex partner from Sri Lanka” as evidence of the party’s inclusivity, scoffing: “Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!”
Coalition Calculus
With the AfD polling at around 19%, second only to Merz’s center-right CDU/CSU bloc, a strong showing by the far-right could dramatically reshape the next German parliament. Mainstream parties have universally ruled out collaborating with the AfD, meaning the election winner may need to cobble together a three-way coalition to secure a governing majority.
| Party | Latest Poll | 2021 Result |
|---|---|---|
| CDU/CSU | 31% | 24.1% |
| AfD | 19% | 10.3% |
| Greens | 18% | 14.8% |
| SPD | 17% | 25.7% |
| Free Democrats | 7% | 11.5% |
| The Left | 5% | 4.9% |
Experts say Musk’s meddling, combined with simmering anger over inflation and anemic growth, could be the wild card that upends the delicate balance of German politics. Scholz’s SPD-led “traffic light” coalition, which includes the Greens and pro-business Free Democrats, collapsed last month amid internal squabbling, prompting the embattled chancellor to call the snap vote.
Disinformation Deluge
In his address, Scholz also took aim at the scourge of online disinformation, noting the surge of “rumors and conjectures” that flooded social media in the wake of a deadly Christmas market attack in Magdeburg. The car ramming, allegedly committed by a Saudi-born man with far-right sympathies, claimed five lives and left hundreds injured.
“These things divide and weaken us. This is not good for our country. … What I wish for is that we will not let ourselves be played off each other.”
– Chancellor Olaf Scholz
As Germans gird for an election that will shape the course of Europe’s largest economy, Scholz is betting that an appeal to democratic values can cut through the din of digital demagoguery. With the soul of German democracy on the ballot, the chancellor is urging voters to put their faith in flesh-and-blood citizens rather than the silicon sultan of Twitter.
Key Takeaways:
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned against social media influence in upcoming snap election
- Elon Musk has repeatedly endorsed the far-right AfD party, sparking outrage
- AfD is polling second and could dramatically reshape the next parliament
- Scholz urged voters to resist online manipulation and disinformation
- The election outcome will have major implications for Germany and Europe
