The German army leaves the “X” platform after Elon Musk’s endorsement of an extremist party
The German Ministry of Defense confirmed that the accounts of the army, its senior leaders, and the ministry itself will stop posting on the platform, according to the British newspaper “The Telegraph.”
She mentioned that “exchanging factual arguments on the platform has become increasingly difficult.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense said, “We have become increasingly dissatisfied with the developments on the platform.”
The German Foreign Ministry had suspended its posts on the “X” platform for the same reason and decided to move its activities to the competing site “Sky Blue” instead.
The decision came after Musk hosted Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, on the “X” platform to discuss political conditions.
During the discussion, Musk, who is set to become responsible for the Government Efficiency Ministry under the administration of elected U.S. President Donald Trump, claimed that only the “Alternative for Germany” party could “save” the country. He also told Germans that they should vote for the party, in a direct intervention that angered Berlin.
Musk had previously described Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, as an “incompetent fool” and called for his resignation.
More than 60 German universities and other research institutions have left the “X” platform for the same reasons.
Opinion polls indicate that the “Alternative for Germany” party, which has been embroiled in a series of scandals due to downplaying Nazi war crimes, using Nazi slogans in speeches, and attending secret conferences on the mass deportation of foreigners, will come in second place in next month’s elections.
But it is unlikely to become part of the next government, as other parties consider the “Alternative for Germany” party extremist and have ruled out allowing it to join a coalition.
According to German media reports, up to 150 EU officials were tasked with listening to the discussion between Feidel and Musk last week to determine whether it violated any EU laws.
EU leaders urged the European Commission to adopt a stricter stance regarding Musk’s intervention, but no significant action has been taken so far.
Earlier this month, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, accused the CEO of Tesla of “direct interference” in elections around the world, including the upcoming vote in Germany.
Macron said, without directly naming Musk: “Who would have imagined ten years ago that we would be told that the owner of one of the largest social media networks in the world would support a new international reactionary movement and intervene directly in elections?”
