Elon Musk Is Hacking German Politics, and the Berlin Film Festival May Pay the Price

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At a rally for Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party on January 25th, the image of Elon Musk, leader of the wealthy “broligarchy” club supporting Donald Trump, was displayed, reminiscent of Big Brother’s presence, on a video screen.

In the midst of thunderous cheers, Elon Musk’s digital avatar endorsed the Alternative for Germany (AfD) – a nationalistic, anti-immigrant political party under close watch by German authorities due to suspicions of illegal extremism – as “the most promising option for Germany.”

Or

Elon Musk’s virtual likeness expressed support for the AfD, a nationalist and anti-immigrant German political party with allegations of illegal extremism against them, stating that they represent “the best prospect for Germany.

A week following his rigid salutes during Trump’s inauguration, which could be considered hate speech in Germany due to its similarities to Nazi era gestures, Musk addressed a rally crowd and stated that Germans are overly preoccupied with “past regrets” and need to progress beyond this point. Grateful for his comments, AfD leader Alice Weidel told the crowd: “Let’s bring greatness back to Germany again!

That very day, numerous citizens across the nation demonstrated against the surge of the AfD and extreme right groups. In response to Musk, a British advocacy group named Led by Donkeys – joined by their German allies – illuminated an oversized picture of him mimicking a Hitler-like salute, accompanied by the German term “heil,” onto the Tesla factory near Berlin.

Germany is set to have an early election on the 23rd of February, and Musk seems to be actively trying to influence it. The tech mogul didn’t instigate Germany’s rise in right-wing sentiment – the AfD party has been gaining strength for some time now and currently polls at around 20%. However, similar to his support for Trump, Musk is backing the challengers. He has publicly endorsed the AfD on Twitter and criticized mainstream German politicians to his vast following on X. On the 9th of January, he hosted a live discussion (on X) with Weidel, where she made an unusual and historically inaccurate claim, stating that Adolf Hitler was a “communist.

Stephan Mündges, a member of the European Fact-Checking Standards Network and a German journalist, states that Elon Musk’s actions are unprecedented and can be described as direct foreign interference in European politics. This demonstrates that Musk is not primarily advocating for free speech but rather advancing his own political agenda.

During a discussion in the German parliament, or Bundestag, on January 30th, representatives from multiple political parties accused Elon Musk of acting against the principles of German democratic values. They drew comparisons between Musk and the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin.

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In a parliamentary debate held on January 30th in Germany’s Bundestag, several lawmakers voiced concerns that Elon Musk was working against the best interests of German democracy, likening him to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

OR:

On January 30th, in a discussion within the German parliament (Bundestag), legislators from various parties expressed criticism towards Elon Musk, claiming he was undermining the principles of German democratic rule and suggesting similarities between him and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Heidi Beirich, a co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and an expert on the far right in America and Europe, asserts that Musk’s posts and conversation with Weidel are undoubtedly raising the visibility of AfD. Beirich draws parallels between AfD’s policies, such as Weidel’s proposal for Germans from ethnic minorities to return to their original countries, and those of white supremacist groups in Europe and the U.S., like the Identitarian movement. The Identitarians advocate the unfounded ‘Great Replacement’ theory, claiming that non-white and Muslim immigrants are being intentionally brought in to replace white populations in Europe. Beirich points out that this ideology is connected to several violent incidents on the far right, including those in El Paso, Pittsburgh, Halle, and Christchurch.

The buzz is growing as we approach the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, with the world’s film industry converging on Berlin. The new director of the festival, Tricia Tuttle, had hoped to refocus attention on the movies following last year’s awards ceremony disruption due to political debates over the Gaza conflict. However, this year’s festival may see street politics overshadowing the films being screened within, as they have often been a platform for activist demonstrations – with red carpet protests last year in memory of victims of right-wing violence, advocating for Palestinian rights, and against the AfD.

Tuttle’s lineup is among Berlin’s finest in recent years. The 75th festival will feature the German debut of Mickey 17, Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi sequel to Parasite starring Robert Pattinson; the first global screening of Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon, starring Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley; as well as new films from acclaimed directors Tom Tykwer (festival opener The Light), Michel Franco (Dreams), and Hong Sang-soo (What Does That Nature Say to You?). However, with the world in turmoil, the focus of the event is likely to shift elsewhere.

Film industry leaders across Europe have stepped into the political arena. A group of approximately 2,500 filmmakers and executives, including Oscar winners Juliette Binoche, Volker Schlöndorff, Jeremy Thomas, Marjane Satrapi, Rebecca Zlotowski, and Jessica Hausner, have signed a digital petition titled “Protect Our Democracies from Tech Giants,” initiated on January 24th. This petition accuses tech giants, particularly Elon Musk’s X, of disregarding European regulations, which they claim jeopardizes the future of democracies in Europe.

In Germany, notable actors such as Daniel Brühl, Jella Haase, Birgit Minichmayr, Jürgen Vogel, and Sonja Heiss have added their names to an open letter protesting a January 29th vote in the German parliament. In this vote, the conservative CDU party accepted support from the AfD to pass a tough new anti-immigration policy. Until now, Germany’s mainstream parties had avoided working with the AfD in any capacity. This parliamentary vote led to nationwide protests, and eventually, in a final vote on January 31st, the new law was vetoed.

Leading CDU member Friedrich Merz, whose party currently enjoys a 30% lead in the polls and is projected to form the next administration, firmly maintains that he will not enter into a coalition government with the far-right factions.

Culture reporter Hannah Pilarczyk from the German news magazine “Spiegel” applauds the increased political activism by Germany’s artists. After several months of debates concerning international industry issues, such as alterations to Germany’s film financing systems and budget reductions for Berlin’s arts sector, she considers their renewed focus on the dangers that the AfD and its allies pose to democracy as a significant indication that they keep a broader perspective in mind.

In her inaugural year as Berlinale’s director, having previously managed the star-studded London Film Festival for several years, Tuttle aimed to refocus attention on films by reintroducing a touch of red-carpet elegance and opulence to Berlin.

Most Berlinale attendees would prefer to avoid a repeat of last year’s contentious debates. The initial controversy stemmed from the festival inviting AfD members to the opening night gala, which was later retracted due to widespread outrage. Subsequently, discussions about the Gaza war overshadowed all other topics, including cinema. Matters escalated during the awards ceremony as numerous winners publicly declared their support for Palestine, a stance that ignited a media uproar and accusations of antisemitism against some speakers, such as Yuval Abraham, a co-director of the Israeli-Palestinian film “No Other Land,” who referred to Israel as an “apartheid state.

In my perspective, it was a debacle. I found that many individuals seemed apprehensive about openly discussing issues concerning Gaza, and there was a striking lack of eagerness among them to entertain diverse opinions from the global community.

As a dedicated admirer, I must say that Tuttle’s Berlin lineup this year isn’t shying away from politics. In fact, it’s diving deep into significant historical events. Two world premieres stand out – “Das Deutsche Volk,” which explores the chilling far-right attacks in Hanau, Germany, back in 2020, and Berlin is also set to screen a special commemorative edition of Claude Lanzmann’s groundbreaking Holocaust documentary, “Shoah.” This screening comes on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, as well as the liberation of Auschwitz.

In an interview with THR, Tuttle says, “Our world is challenging, and numerous films in our festival tackle these complexities. However, we aim to spotlight the movies themselves. Our goal is to give recognition to the filmmakers who deserve it. We want to foster a community where people can gather and engage in discussions about cinema.

In the midst of Germany’s significant upcoming election, Elon Musk, known for his innovative ideas, is stirring up controversy by promoting far-right extremist views, thereby placing the Berlinale once more at the center of a heated political conflict.

In the latest issue from February 5th, I came across an interesting story in The Hollywood Reporter magazine. If you’d like to stay updated and read more stories like this, consider subscribing here.

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2025-02-12 18:25