What is the AfD Party supported by JD Vance and Elon Musk?

As Germany prepares for its national elections, one party has drawn intense scrutiny both domestically and internationally: the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The party, which has surged in popularity in recent years, remains isolated in German politics, with mainstream parties refusing to collaborate with it. However, figures such as U.S. Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk have publicly supported the AfD, raising concerns about foreign influence on Germany’s political landscape.

Origins and ideology of the AfD

Founded in 2013, the AfD initially emerged as a protest party against Germany’s financial support for European bailouts. However, it quickly evolved into a far-right movement, particularly after Germany’s 2015 decision to accept over a million refugees. The party has since adopted hardline stances on immigration, Islam, and European integration, while also opposing COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

The AfD has consistently been critical of the European Union, sanctions against Russia, and Germany’s military support for Ukraine. It has also called for an exit from the euro currency and dismissed EU climate policies as “ideologically driven.” Despite these extreme positions, the party has steadily gained traction among German voters, particularly in economically struggling regions.

AfD’s political isolation and controversies

Unlike some other far-right parties in Europe that have softened their rhetoric to appeal to a broader electorate, the AfD has maintained its extremist stance. In 2021, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency classified the party as a suspected extremist group. Several of its state branches have since been officially labeled extremist organizations.

Public backlash against the AfD intensified in early 2024 when an investigative report revealed that its members had attended meetings with far-right extremists to discuss mass deportation plans. The revelation triggered massive protests, with over a million people taking to the streets across Germany. Further controversy erupted when a prominent AfD candidate suggested that not all Nazi SS officers should be considered criminals, forcing the party to bar him from election events.

Despite these controversies, the AfD continues to gain electoral support. Polls suggest the party could secure around 20% of the vote in the upcoming elections, making it the second-largest party in Germany’s Bundestag. However, the “firewall” policy—where mainstream parties refuse to collaborate with the AfD—has so far prevented it from holding government power.

Support from JD Vance and Elon Musk

Recent endorsements from high-profile figures like JD Vance and Elon Musk have sparked concerns about international interference in German politics.

US Vice President JD Vance became the highest-ranking US official to openly engage with the AfD, meeting with its top candidate, Alice Weidel, while skipping a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Vance also criticised Germany’s policy of excluding the AfD from governance, calling it undemocratic. His actions drew sharp rebukes from German officials, including Scholz, who warned against external meddling in the country’s electoral process.

Musk has been even more vocal in his support for the AfD. In December 2023, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that “only the AfD can save Germany.”

He later published an op-ed in a German newspaper describing the party as the “last spark of hope” for the country. These statements prompted backlash from German leaders, who accused Musk of attempting to sway the elections.

The controversy deepened when Musk appeared at an AfD rally, where he urged Germans to “move beyond” their historical guilt, an apparent reference to the country’s Nazi past. His remarks were widely condemned, with prominent German politicians denouncing his attempt to influence public opinion.

Impact on the German election

Despite the support from Vance and Musk, polls indicate that their endorsements have had little direct impact on German voters. While the AfD’s base remains committed, broader public opinion remains largely opposed to the party. According to a Pew Research poll, nearly 80% of Germans hold a negative view of the AfD, with protests against the party continuing nationwide.

Moreover, Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and a potential future chancellor, has distanced himself from the AfD. Although he briefly relied on AfD votes to pass a nonbinding immigration resolution—prompting outrage and a rebuke from former Chancellor Angela Merkel—he later reaffirmed that his party would have “no cooperation, no tolerance, no minority government, nothing at all” with the AfD.