Elon Musk’s recent guest article in the Welt am Sonntag, where he described the far-right AfD as the ‘last spark of hope’ for Germany, has provoked harsh criticism from various German political leaders. Friedrich Merz, the CDU’s chancellor candidate, labeled Musk’s intervention as ‘overbearing and presumptuous.’ SPD leaders, including Saskia Esken, condemned the external influence on German elections, while members of the Greens voiced concerns about the potential undermining of democratic discourse. Despite the backlash, the editorial team of Welt defended the publication, emphasizing the importance of free speech in democracy.