Germany’s Merz promises tough talk with Trump on Musk's election influence
Chancellor hopeful Friedrich Merz criticizes Elon Musk’s support to far-right AfD party, his controversial posts about European politics
BERLIN
Germany's chancellor hopeful Friedrich Merz has pledged to confront US President Donald Trump over Elon Musk's attempts to influence elections in European countries.
In an interview with Berliner Morgenpost newspaper, the Christian Democrat leader outlined his approach to a potential first meeting with Trump, should he win the upcoming Feb. 23 elections.
“I have a clear opinion on this as well, and I will share it with him: I don’t think it’s okay for someone close to Trump to try to have such direct influence in elections in Germany, “Merz said.
Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, drew sharp criticism in Germany for endorsing the far-right AfD on his social media platform X ahead of the parliamentary elections.
Merz, who leads the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), emphasized that any future meeting with Trump would be preceded by consultations with European Union leaders to establish a unified position.
“Before meeting Donald Trump, I want to speak with the heads of state and leaders of the European Union. Europe must have a clear, common position,” he said, referring to positions on foreign policy and trade issues.
“We will not accept tariffs being imposed for political reasons. If Trump does this, he must get an answer from Europe. I don't want a trade war, but we will defend ourselves with reciprocal tariffs, if necessary,” Merz stated.
“We have to talk to Trump on an equal footing. Europe is strong, the US president will come to recognize that,” he added.
The conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Merz maintains a strong lead in polls, with recent surveys showing the Christian Democrats at 31%, while the far-right AfD remains the second-strongest party at 21%.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) remains steady at 15%, while the Greens have dropped one point to 14%. The socialist Die Linke party maintains 5% support – just enough to clear the threshold for parliamentary representation.
Two other parties fall short of the parliamentary threshold: the left-wing populist BSW and the liberal FDP, each at 4%.
Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.
