By Nitya Chakraborty
The year 2025 is set to herald a new chapter in the global rise of the far-right, spearheaded by the forthcoming U.S. President Donald Trump alongside his ally, the world’s richest individual, Elon Musk. This unprecedented alliance melds Trump’s political style with Musk’s substantial financial resources and technological prowess. Never has such a formidable coalition emerged in American history, positioning itself against centrist, liberal, and leftist ideologies.
Currently, Donald Trump draws inspiration from various right-wing leaders across Europe and Latin America. The Trump model is being applied in European nations through significant financial backing directed at pro-Trump factions, financed in part by Elon Musk. Key elections are on the horizon, including the German elections on February 23 and France’s elections in July 2025. Canada also faces elections on October 20 this year, with both Trump and Musk keenly invested in displacing the Trudeau government in favor of one aligned with the Trump administration.
Donald Trump will assume the presidency on January 20, shortly before Germany’s pivotal elections on February 23. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was compelled to permit these elections following the collapse of his regime. The far-right party AfD is vigorously campaigning to secure the position of second-largest party following the CDU/CSU, which remains the current frontrunner in opinion polls. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and the new left-wing BSW are contending for third place.
Officials in the German government have accused Elon Musk of attempting to influence the electoral landscape, following his numerous endorsements of the far-right AfD party. Musk has strategically funneled significant finances to the campaigns of AfD candidates who openly support Trump.
“It is true that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election,” remarked government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann, following Musk’s posts on X and a recent op-ed endorsing the anti-Muslim, anti-immigration AfD.
Musk has been vocally involved in German politics, even dubbing Chancellor Olaf Scholz a “fool” on his platform last month. However, his more current open appeals for German voters to support the AfD, which is classified by federal officials as a potential extremist party, have ignited outrage and accusations of alarming interference in Europe’s leading economy. Musk has boldly claimed that only the AfD can salvage Germany if it prevails in the February 23 elections.
This stance from the Trump-Musk partnership has unsettled the center-right CDU/CSU, as party leaders fear the AfD will encroach on their voter base, undermining them ahead of the elections. Campaigning requires significant funding in Germany, and the well-funded AfD, backed by Musk and his allies, is making considerable strides in overshadowing other candidates’ campaigns.
Indeed, Elon Musk penned a guest editorial in the broadsheet Welt am Sonntag, arguing that Germany is on the verge of economic and cultural disarray, defending the AfD against claims of radicalism, and applauding their economic strategies, including regulatory and tax policies. Chancellor candidate Merz of the CDU/CSU remarked, “In the history of Western democracies, I cannot recall a similar case of interference in the electoral process of a friendly nation.”
Thus far, all major political parties in Germany are firmly committed to preventing the AfD from gaining power. In recent regional elections, despite advancing in seat count, the AfD was not permitted to enter the government. However, this could change if the AfD secures a seat count close to that of the CDU/CSU. Currently, the AfD is polling second with approximately 19%, while CDU/CSU stands at 31%. The SPD, left-oriented BSW, and Die Linke trail far behind the AfD. For now, it remains possible that the AfD may fall short of a majority in the new Parliament, and a coalition of non-far-right parties could keep them from being part of the new German government. Everything hinges on the final election outcomes.
In France, national elections are anticipated in July 2025, a year after the last elections held in July 2024. The fragile coalition led by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou relies on support from the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen for its survival. Le Pen is advocating for early elections, and President Emmanuel Macron has suggested he will call for elections following the completion of the current year. Le Pen is often perceived as a French counterpart to Trump, and her party is receiving robust support from both Trump and Musk. Political analysts in Paris predict that Musk will initiate his support for Le Pen as soon as election dates are confirmed.
In the U.K., Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, which garnered 14% of the votes in the last parliamentary elections, is positioning itself as the primary far-right opposition to the Labour Party. Recently, Farage met with Donald Trump and Elon Musk in the U.S., where it was decided that Trump would fully back the Reform Party in its bid to challenge Labour. An initial funding agreement of $100 million was established. Farage is well-poised to embody the Trump model within British politics.
At present, the focus of the Trump-Musk alliance is directed toward Germany, France, and Britain. This unprecedented effort from the far-right to sway the democratic processes in European nations has never been seen before. The year 2025 should serve as a crucial wake-up call for centrists, liberals, and leftists in Europe to unite and confront the rising tide of the far-right. Time is of the essence. (IPA Service)
