Top German newspaper editor resigns due to Musk op-ed
(MENAFN) The opinion editor of Germany’s leading newspaper Die Welt, Eva Marie Kogel, has resigned following the publication of an op-ed by Elon Musk in which he defended the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Kogel announced her resignation on X, stating that she had submitted her resignation after the article went to print.
In his op-ed, Musk, the billionaire owner of SpaceX, Tesla, and X (formerly Twitter), praised the AfD, calling it “the last spark of hope” for Germany. He argued that the AfD’s “pragmatic” approach could revive the country, while other parties were out of touch with the concerns of ordinary people. Musk also rejected the characterization of the AfD as a far-right party, saying such portrayals were “clearly false.”
The publication of Musk’s article triggered a heated debate among Die Welt’s staff. Some journalists, including senior reporter Jan Philipp Burgard, strongly criticized Musk’s views, with Burgard calling the praise of the AfD “fatally flawed” and a “big mistake.” Another staff member, Franziska Zimmerer, also penned an op-ed arguing that Musk’s piece should not have been published, asserting that election appeals had no place in independent media.
The AfD, founded in 2013, has gained traction in recent years with its focus on tightening asylum laws and combating crime and Islamic extremism. It won its first regional election in Thuringia in September 2024. The 2025 snap parliamentary elections, which are set for February, were called after the ruling three-party coalition collapsed over a budget dispute.
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