Merkel, Musk, and the Far Right: What’s Happening in Germany’s Election?

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, known for his support of Donald Trump, has recently stirred controversy in Germany by aligning himself with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Musk used his X social media platform, formerly Twitter, to interview AfD leader Alice Weidel, sparking outrage when he suggested that Germany should move beyond its guilt over the Nazi era. This week, Musk publicly celebrated parliamentary moves to tighten Germany’s borders as well as Friedrich Merz’s decision to engage with AfD support.

What’s at Stake?

Friedrich Merz’s campaign for the German chancellorship is at a critical juncture. Until now, his party, the center-right CDU, has maintained a lead over the AfD, although that margin has been narrowing. The developments of recent days could dramatically alter the landscape.

By working with the AfD, Merz risks normalizing a party that has long been seen as toxic by much of the political mainstream. Could this embolden voters to support the AfD outright, favoring what some may perceive as the “original” over a diluted version of their policies? Alternatively, will Merz’s embrace of anti-migrant rhetoric backfire, alienating moderate voters while lending legitimacy to the AfD’s core platform?

Complicating matters further is the reemergence of former Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel’s history of friction with Merz dates back to 2002 when she sidelined him from the CDU leadership. Since returning to the CDU’s helm in 2022, Merz has moved the party significantly to the right, dismantling key elements of Merkel’s legacy, particularly on migration policy.

Merkel’s intervention raises pressing questions. Could her critique of Merz’s strategy—and the public display of disunity within the CDU—further boost the AfD and its chancellor candidate, Alice Weidel? Alternatively, could centrist voters abandon the CDU altogether in favor of Olaf Scholz’s SPD or the Greens, both of which firmly oppose any collaboration with the AfD?

Will the AfD Take Power?

For the moment, it seems unlikely that the AfD will directly join a coalition government, even if its support grows in the February 23 elections. A majority of Germany’s political landscape remains staunchly pro-EU and anti-far-right, making collaboration with the AfD a political red line for most parties. Overturning this consensus would require an unprecedented shift in German politics.

Nonetheless, the recent willingness of mainstream politicians to flirt with AfD support represents a watershed moment. As the political climate heats up, Germany could be headed into uncharted territory, with far-reaching implications for its political future.