Elon Musk's late-night call amplifies AfD's election triumph
Alice Weidel, leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD), missed a late-night congratulatory call from American billionaire Elon Musk after her party's success in the Bundestag elections. When she checked her phone in the morning, she saw "missed calls in the night from the United States."
Elon Musk was among those who reached out, personally congratulating Weidel. The AfD leader hinted at an upcoming phone conversation but chose not to disclose with whom.
Weidel also praised Musk, who publicly campaigned for her far-right AfD party in recent months, for which he faced significant criticism. He also debated Alice Weidel during the campaign on Platform X, which he purchased in 2022. In a video message, he urged people in Germany to be "proud" of being German.
Warm words from the USA
After the elections, Musk praised Germany for efficiently counting the votes. "Germany was able to count 100% of the 50 million votes in under 8 hours and it was all paper ballots. Yes, it can be done," stated one of the posts from "End Wokeness," which Musk also shared on his profile.
The term "woke," which originally referred to awareness of social injustice and racism, is used in right-wing and far-right circles to pejoratively describe attitudes perceived as overly sensitive, dogmatic, or overtly liberal.
Wants to be like Musk
Alice Weidel, in turn, referred to the controversial Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) led by Musk, which she believes should serve as a model for Germany. If she were in the government, she would do the same.
Weidel emphasized the need for responsible management of taxpayers' money, calling for a thorough review of all public expenditures. She insisted on making significant spending cuts to ensure more funds remained with taxpayers. In the February 23, 2025, elections, her party doubled its performance from the 2021 elections, securing 21 per cent of the vote.
Will AfD secure positions?
Weidel reiterated her party's demand for key positions in the Bundestag, insisting that the institution must "return to normalcy." She argued that the AfD should receive the roles it is entitled to based on its electoral support.
She demands explicitly that we not be stripped of the position of vice-president of the Bundestag.
With the AfD securing 152 out of 630 seats in the upcoming Bundestag, Alice Weidel asserted that the party "should no longer be ignored." She hoped other parliamentary groups would abandon their previous approach toward the AfD and instead engage in democratic debate.
She describes the fact that the AfD has not received a seat on the parliamentary oversight committee responsible for supervising intelligence services in Germany for years as an "absolute impudence."
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