Friedrich Merz, a leading candidate for the next chancellor of Germany, which leads the European Union (EU), strongly criticized Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. This response came after Musk publicly supported the far-right party 'Alternative for Germany (AfD)' using his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), raising concerns about election interference.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 13th (local time), Merz stated, "We cannot overlook what happened during this election period," adding, "A response is needed, whether political or legal. We will analyze calmly after the election."
Recently, Musk encouraged German voters to support the AfD several times through his social networking service (SNS) X. Following a public dialogue with AfD leader Alice Weidel, he even sent a surprise video to an AfD campaign event held in Halle, eastern Germany, on the 25th of last month. In the video, Musk stated, "You are the best hope fighting for Germany's future," actively supporting the AfD.
In response, Merz expressed strong displeasure, stating, "It is unprecedented for an outsider to interfere in a domestic election in this manner."
Concerns have been raised that this issue may also affect Musk's corporate activities. Tesla operates the only Gigafactory in Europe near Berlin, which is closely related to the German economy. Merz noted, "We are still keeping options open for what measures will be taken," while avoiding specifics about the response plan, but it cannot be ruled out that Musk's actions could lead to economic disadvantages.
Merz will compete for the next administration against Olaf Scholz, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader, in the general election on the 23rd. Currently, the conservative coalition consisting of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), is leading in the polls, suggesting a high likelihood of Merz's ascension to power. In contrast, the 'Traffic Light Coalition' made up of the Social Democratic Party, the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party collapsed in November last year, increasing political uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Merz has taken a firm stance on relations with the United States. He stated, "I am an Atlanticist, but if the Trump administration wants, I will not avoid conflict," adding, "Europe must also prepare countermeasures."