this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2024
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Summary

Elon Musk sparked outrage in Germany by endorsing the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party on his platform, X, claiming “only the AfD can save Germany.”

The AfD, which polls second ahead of Germany’s February snap election, has been labeled extremist by German intelligence.

Political leaders accused Musk of election interference, while others criticized his remarks as harmful. Musk later doubled down, calling for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s resignation.

Musk’s comments align with his past support for far-right and anti-immigration figures across Europe and beyond.

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[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 80 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (4 children)

We're running into the paradox of tolerance real quick here folks. Democracies need to legislate limits to the political influence of rich idiots and soon, otherwise we'll all end up like the US.

[–] fibojoly@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 days ago

Well, funny thing is we do have rules about what you can and cannot say, in Europe. I'm looking forward to him discovering those little subtleties, since he clearly cannot shut his trap.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago

Rest of the world, please take us as a cautionary tale, not a model for emulation

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 227 points 4 days ago (7 children)

It's important to note that right after saying this...

A German AFD supporter who retweets Musk drove into a Christmas market in a terrorist attack

Germany has stricter laws about inciting violence, it's a long shot but maybe he'll get charges

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 84 points 4 days ago (10 children)

Elon Musk is, as far as I am concerned, directly responsible for (so far and let's hope it stays that way) the murder of five people.

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[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 39 points 4 days ago

And the AfD's knee-jerk reaction was to assume he was a muslim jihadist, proving his point about German attitudes about Saudi refugees.

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[–] Freefall@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Only Nazis can save Germany...isn't there precedent for that not working?

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Well Elon isn't Jewish, gay, roma, disabled, Germsn, polish, French, Italian, Russian, British, …or a poor American so it isn't his problem

[–] obinice@lemmy.world 30 points 3 days ago (1 children)

He's a modern day Nazi leader, what do you expect him to say?

[–] Snowclone@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago

Matches up with history. Hitler had a giant portrait of Henry Ford in his office. American racism, genocide, and capitalism was a major inspiration for the Nazis

[–] themaninblack@lemmy.world 47 points 4 days ago (3 children)

There is nothing surprising about a white South African promoting a racist political party. White South Africans are the most openly and unabashedly racist people on the planet.

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[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

If luigi killed this guy I would not shed a single tear.

I would crack open an ice cold beer.

[–] 30p87@feddit.org 178 points 4 days ago

Nazi supporting Nazi also supports other Nazis.

[–] riodoro1@lemmy.world 92 points 4 days ago (7 children)

What the fuck does he even know about germany?

[–] Xtallll@lemmy.blahaj.zone 34 points 4 days ago

What the fuck does he know about America?

[–] b161@lemmy.blahaj.zone 27 points 4 days ago

It doesn’t matter to him. All he knows that he’s a Dark Enlightenment fascist white supremacist. The poors and non-whites must die. Fascist governments must be in power everywhere so he can have his world where he is king, he has robots to do his bidding and can try to live forever.

[–] Worx@lemmynsfw.com 27 points 4 days ago

He knows that Nazis are from there, and that's pretty fckn rad baby

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

His knowledge is mostly restricted to the years 1933-1945.

He didn't read the ending. No one tell him the spoiler.

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[–] Snowclone@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

He knows what benifits him. That's the entirety of his motivations. Evil greedy assholes are quite dull, he just knows what makes him more money and more power.

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[–] slingstone@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Save Germany from what? Being a successful, modern country that takes care of its people?

[–] Miaou@jlai.lu 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ugh, I must live in alternate-reality Germany. Not like AfD can improve things, but come on

[–] slingstone@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I genuinely apologize for my ignorance. Germany looks like a damned paradise of free healthcare and other social welfare programs from the States. What issues are you facing over there?

[–] Khaliso 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Mainly missed opportunities due to inefficiencies and conflicts of interest in politics I'd say?

[–] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 2 days ago

The biggest issue is a lack of investments due to us putting a block of taking on new government debt into our constitution so there never is enough money to invest in things like the infrastructure. That and too much bureaucracy in everything.

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[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 89 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Elon grew up and enjoyed the South African Apartheid regime and he is a neo-Nazi.

[–] matlag@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 days ago

You should be more undersantding. Since Trump is now enraged because people call Musk the President, Musk needs to find a backup country where he'll be called the leader before Trump kicks him out. That's all just risk mitigation!

[–] WeUnite@lemm.ee 74 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No country is safe from Elon Musk's election interference. It's urgent that we boycott Twitter and Tesla. If you have a Twitter account do the following now:

  1. Send a DM to your favorite accounts and urge them to stop using Twitter.
  2. (If you haven't already) register for Bluesky.
  3. Make a Tweet saying you are no longer using Twitter.
  4. Tell your friends to follow the same instructions.

These could take as little as five minutes of your time but it will make a huge difference because of the ripple effect. When one person leaves it will automatically incentivize your friends to follow you. You have the power to make a difference.

[–] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 50 points 4 days ago (2 children)

register for Bluesky

Replace that with Mastodon and you're golden.

[–] bss03@infosec.pub 35 points 4 days ago (8 children)

Either is better than X/Twitter for now. Bluesky is "easier" for many people. I prefer Mastodon myself, but there's a bridge so I can follow Bluesky profiles (and vice-versa) which is nice.

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[–] Zoldyck@lemmy.world 105 points 4 days ago

Elon Musk is a danger to democracy all over the world

[–] PedroMaldonado@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You know what bothers me? Musk knows hes bullshitting everyone and it seems like its fucking laugh to him. Remember when the hyper rich built libraries and funded colleges and, i dunno, just gave back? To think, just a few short years ago, he was presenting as some kind of visionary. Turns out, hes just a capitalist asshole.

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[–] Sorgan71@lemmy.world 41 points 4 days ago (2 children)
[–] TheFriar@lemm.ee 45 points 4 days ago

Well, the nazism, the car thing, the evil vulture capitalist…kinda similar.

[–] LavenderDay3544@lemmings.world 38 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

TBH he is. Ford was a piece of shit and so is he.

[–] Karyoplasma@discuss.tchncs.de 110 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

An apartheid-loving nazi calls for the nazi party to be the savior of Germany? Never would I have guessed.

The information, I as a not very politically interested German (understatement) have: We are holding re-elections on Feburary 23rd because the current government imploded. Basically, the rich guys' party doesn't want to make rich guys pay taxes and being children about it, most other parties seem desperate at this point, else they wouldn't have challenged that much. They have never cared that much, so I have no idea what changed. The populist nazi party Musk cheers for has a lot traction because people are beyond stupid and self-centered and I fear that they will get a significant amount of votes. Maybe they don't win outright, but they will realistically take second place. I regard everyone that considers to vote for AfD as a nazi.

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[–] Zaphod@discuss.tchncs.de 82 points 4 days ago (15 children)

Stfu Musk you know shit about Germany

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[–] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 50 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Musk later doubled down, calling for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s resignation.

This stupid POS doesn't even know that this already happened a few days ago.

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[–] kn0wmad1c@programming.dev 51 points 4 days ago

Literal supervillain

[–] nutsack@lemmy.world 17 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

vietnamese people think elon musk and donald trump are right about everything because they are smart because they are rich and because america is a democracy

they are deified, basically. just like ho chi minh

[–] chiliedogg@lemmy.world 34 points 4 days ago (2 children)

American here. Can we begin our deportations with Musk?

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[–] Supervisor194@lemmy.world 37 points 4 days ago (6 children)

Why do Putin and the billionaires he shepherds think that all this far-right democracy killing shit is so super duper? I marvel that they never seem to stop and think "this could eventually go badly for me."

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago

They want every place to be like Russia. It's always been their main contention that democracy is just a sham and basically everyone is a fascist. This is one of the main reasons for invading Ukraine because he couldn't tolerate a democratic nation as his neighbour. It'll give the plebes ideas, you know.

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