Musk's Millions and Germany's Far Right: Can He Buy This Election?

Photo by Daniel Oberhaus on Flickr

Published: 07 Jan, 2025

1 min read

Elon Musk’s weird journey into politics went global last month when he endorsed Germany’s far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), in an op-ed for Welt am Sonntag. His controversial move sparked backlash from Germany’s center-right leader and led to the resignation of the paper’s editor.

While Musk’s influence in U.S. politics has cemented his role as a major power broker in Washington, can he wield the same impact in Germany?

In this episode, Dan and Shawn break down Musk’s impact on American politics, the rise of AfD and its parallels to the Tea Party and MAGA movements, and how Germany’s proportional representation system prevents the outsized influence of big money, and what lessons the U.S. can learn from Germany’s approach to elections.

In this article

Elon Musk Commentary

How Is Elon Musk’s Third Party Planning Going?

The America Party was announced in the middle of a public breakup between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. The two parted ways at the end of May. Musk criticized Trump’s signature tax cut and his “Big Beautiful Bill,” which tied immigration crackdowns to massive new spending. ...

13 Aug, 2025

4 min read

Ballrooms, Ballots, and a Three-Way Fight for New York

The latest Independent Voter Podcast episode takes listeners through the messy intersections of politics, reform, and public perception. Chad and Cara open with the irony of partisan outrage over trivial issues like a White House ballroom while overlooking the deeper dysfunctions in our democracy. From California to Maine, they unpack how the very words on a ballot can tilt entire elections and how both major parties manipulate language and process to maintain power....

30 Oct, 2025

1 min read

Princeton Gerrymandering Project Gives California Prop 50 an 'F'

The special election for California Prop 50 wraps up November 4 and recent polling shows the odds strongly favor its passage. The measure suspends the state’s independent congressional map for a legislative gerrymander that Princeton grades as one of the worst in the nation....

30 Oct, 2025

3 min read

5 Politicians Bucking Their Party on Gerrymandering

Across the country, both parties are weighing whether to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Utah, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia are all in various stages of the action. Here are five politicians who have declined to support redistricting efforts promoted by their own parties....

31 Oct, 2025

4 min read

Musk's Millions and Germany's Far Right: Can He Buy This Election?

You Might Also Like