“The Bundestag administration initiated the review after American billionaire Elon Musk publicly expressed support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of parliamentary elections.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
The Bundestag administration initiated the review after American billionaire Elon Musk publicly expressed support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of parliamentary elections. Officials are investigating whether his actions violate the German law on political parties.
Source: Die Welt
Details: Musk has been actively promoting the AfD through his social network X, which has raised concerns among officials and civil society organizations.
“In this case, the circumstances are currently being investigated,” said the spokesman of the Bundestag on January 9 in Berlin.
LobbyControl, an organization dedicated to protecting transparency and democratic control in Germany and Europe, expressed serious concern about this situation, saying that Musk’s actions could be considered an illegal party donation.
Literally: “According to the law on parties, reformed at the beginning of 2024, pre-election advertising by third parties is considered a donation to the party. Also, the law prohibits party donations from outside the EU. Since Musk and his platform X are registered in the US, this may violate the rules of party financing and election campaigning Control over compliance with the rules of party financing and election campaigning belongs to the powers of the Bundestag.”
Details: In 2020, the Berlin Administrative Court found an advertising campaign in support of former AfD politician Jörg Moiten organized by the Swiss company Goal AG in 2016 to be an illegal party donation. Then the court supported the position of the Bundestag administration, which imposed the fine.
Read also: Assaulting Europe: how and why Elon Musk intervenes in the politics of European countries.
Prehistory:
- Elon Musk previously publicly supported AdN and said that only it “can save Germany.”
- A poll showed that most Germans believe that billionaire Elon Musk’s support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has had a positive effect on the party’s position ahead of early elections on February 23.
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is concerned about Musk’s support for the Alternative for Germany weeks before snap elections.
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barro called on the European Commission “with maximum firmness” to protect EU member states from interference in their politics, in particular, by Elon Musk.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sharply criticized Musk and his supporters for “open attacks on our institutions, incitement of hatred and an open call for people to support the heirs of Nazism.”