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Even some of Trump’s camp said his comments went too far.
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
PM Donald Tusk speaks at a press conference with Prime [Attila Husejnow/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images]
Languages: Français
WARSAW – Prime Minister Donald Tusk lashed out at the “Greater Germany” rhetoric and trivialisation of German guilt for historical crimes voiced by key AfD figures and echoed by Elon Musk during his appearance at an AfD rally on Saturday.
Musk’s meddling in European politics, including the upcoming German elections, has created ripples in Poland, especially as the country holds presidential elections in May. But the billionaire’s reference to Germany’s shameful past was too much for Tusk.
In an online post, the prime minister said that comments about a ‘Great Germany’ and the need to get over German guilt for Nazi crimes sounded familiar and ominous, especially just hours before the anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation.
On Saturday, Musk appeared remotely at a rally for the right-wing AfD, where he spoke at length about preserving the German culture and nation and not losing it to “some sort of multiculturalism” that “dilutes everything”.
He also noted, in a clear reference to Germany’s Nazi past, that “children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents,” and that “we focus too much on the guilt of the past, and we need to overcome that”.
During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally, expressed regret that Musk’s remarks coincided so closely with the anniversary of Auschwitz. Meanwhile, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, questioned why President Donald Trump had remained silent about Musk’s comments.
Musk has recently expressed support for the AfD, calling the party “the last hope for Germany.” Earlier this month, he interviewed AfD co-leader and chancellor candidate Alice Weidel on his X platform and told her that Germans should support her party.
Monday marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. 27 January is observed annually as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Meanwhile, Musk’s fingers have been found in several European countries’ political pies, including Germany, Italy, and the UK.
While he has yet to endorse any candidate in the Polish presidential election, a SW Research for Rzeczpospolita poll found that 33.4% of Poles would let Musk’s endorsement influence their decision, and 11.2% would vote for whoever he supported.
Asked during his visit to Paris earlier this month whether Musk might try to influence the presidential election in Poland, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski (PO) said interference is illegal in Poland.
Polish authorities “must be ready to protect our democratic process so that it is Poles who elect our president, not foreigners,” he added.
(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | Euractiv.pl)
Languages: Français
Updated: 27-01-2025
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