Musk labels German chancellor ‘Oaf Schitz’
Elon Musk has forecasted that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who he mockingly referred to as “Oaf Schitz,” as well as his Social Democratic Party (SPD) will lose the Federal Republic’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
Germany will hold snap elections at the end of February; Scholz's ‘traffic light’ coalition government has collapsed over disagreements regarding Ukraine aid, economic reforms and climate policy. Earlier this month, the SPD leader lost a vote of confidence in parliament, leading to its dissolution.
According to Statista, 56% of Germans believe Scholz has done a poor job, while 37% are satisfied with his performance. The rating was influenced by Germany's economic stagnation, his migration policies, and a general perception of ineffective government.
Musk, who has been a consistent critic of the current German government, took a jab at Scholz on Monday, predicting that “Chancellor Oaf Schitz or whatever his name is will lose.”
The tycoon also suggested that the right-wing, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party – which he previously praised as the country’s “last spark of hope” – would “win an epic victory” in the election.
Musk’s apparent endorsement, however, has sparked a backlash from German officials, who described his comments as “intrusive and arrogant,” suggesting they constitute unwelcome interference. Chancellor Scholz noted that the country’s future “will not be decided by the owners of social media channels” but rather by the country’s “vast majority of reasonable and decent people.”
The billionaire’s comments follow a terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg earlier this month, in which a car rammed into a crowd, killing five people and injuring nearly 200. The incident, linked to a Saudi asylum seeker, has intensified criticism of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government, with opposition parties and far-right groups blaming lax migration policies ahead of Germany’s snap elections.
