Elon Musk is the chancellor maker

When Elon Musk announced a few years ago that he would build a Tesla “gigafactory” in Brandenburg, AfD leader Alice Weidel had nothing left for the richest man in the world. She said at the time that electric cars were “hazardous waste,” and her party regularly demonstrated against the construction. The current election program also castigates the expansion of e-mobility as an “ideologically driven transport policy” that one wants to stop immediately.

Recently, the dislike has given way to unconditional sympathy, and there are good reasons for that. Musk included Weidel in his list of protégés and added them to his platform X even pushed as a “possible chancellor”; and in a highly controversial guest article in Die Welt he then called for people to vote for the AfD, saying the party would be “the last spark of hope” for Germany.

Is that legal?

The fact that Musk interviewed Weidel himself on He donated $250 million to Donald Trump during the election campaign, and as a thank you he made him presidential advisor; He promised similar support to British Brexiteer Nigel Farage, only to recently abandon him. Instead, Musk turned to Tommy Robinson, a convicted right-wing extremist, and supported British “manfluencer” Andrew Tate, who is under investigation for human trafficking, money laundering and sex crimes. He also wants to become prime minister – with Musk’s help.

It is questionable, however, whether his far-reaching expressions of sympathy are also legal. Both the EU and Berlin have their doubts: The Bundestag administration is examining whether Musk’s conversation with Alice Weidel could have been about election campaign influence and an illegal party donation; The NGO Lobbycontrol also suspects this. The conversation will be on X According to the organization, it is probably much more widespread than posts from other users, which is why “one could speak of political advertising here, because X usually sells such a reach for a lot of money.”

Investigations in Brussels

The concerns in Brussels are similar. There has been an investigation there for a year as part of the new Digital Service Act (DSA). Xbecause of hidden advertising, user deception and illegal content. Weidel’s support focuses on the question of whether Musk changed the secret algorithm in their favor, turning the platform into his personal propaganda machine – and at the same time giving reach to parties that are in turn strongly against restrictions on social networks – keyword DSA .

Experts have little doubt that Musk is the speaker for Weidel because it also benefits his company; at least in part, apart from Tesla. Two Australian scientists have even proven that it does XAlgorithm adapted to Trump: From July 13, 2024 – the day on which Musk announced that he was supporting Trump – Republican accounts increased significantly in reach.

If the EU actually imposes a penalty for violating the DSA, Musk could have to pay up to six percent of global sales, and bans would also be possible. However, a conviction depends on political will. Musk, one must not forget, will soon no longer just be the richest person in the world – from January 20th he will also be part of the US government. A punishment for him would also be a slap in the face for Donald Trump.