German Chancellor Olaf Scholz took an opportunity on the campaign trail Tuesday to criticize Elon Musk, telling CNN that the US billionaire "is intervening in favor of right-wing politicians all over Europe. And this is really disgusting". Ahead of Germany's February election, Musk has been controversially inserting himself into the German election campaign in favor of the far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Speaking to CNN, as he came off stage after an hour's talk with voters in Berlin, the Chancellor said, "I disagree completely with Elon Musk and what he is doing." He explained as a political leader he is no stranger to media owners intervening "in politics in Germany, they started in 19th century... that's not new." He added: "What is new is that he is intervening in favor of right-wing politicians all over Europe. And this is really disgusting, and it is not good for the democratic development in all (of) the European Union." In early January, Musk held a conversation with the leader of the AfD, Alice Weidel, on X. He has also regularly tweeted his support for the party, calling Scholz "an incompetent fool" on his social media platform. On Saturday, Musk appeared virtually at an AfD campaign rally in the city of Halle. But it is what Musk said about the German need to move on from its historic guilt over the Holocaust that has particularly irked the Chancellor. In the week that the world, and Germany, commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Musk told the crowd there is "frankly, too much of a focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that." The Chancellor, in an unusual burst of emotion, told CNN: "This is why I'm so angry about Elon Musk intervening for the far right and Elon Musk also not acting adequately to this killing of so many Jews... this is the historic responsibility we will continue to take in the future as well." CNN has contacted Musk's lawyers for comment. Germany as a nation carries heavily the atrocities that were carried out at the hands of the Nazis in the concentration camps during the Second World War and holds commemorative events to remember the crimes. At the event in Halle, Musk also spoke to a feverish crowd in grandiose terms about immigration, pride at being German and the upcoming election. "It's good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything," Musk told the 4,000 strong crowd, before adding, "I do not say it lightly when I think the future of civilization could hang on this election." — CNN
