German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in an interview with Stern magazine published Saturday, called for calm in response to what he described as "discordant statements" by American billionaire Elon Musk. Musk had recently criticized both Scholz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, labeling the latter a "tyrant." Scholz, however, emphasized that Musk's support for the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) was far more concerning than his personal insults.

Scholz dismissed Musk's remarks, stating, "In Germany, things operate according to the will of the people, not based on discordant statements from an American billionaire." This comes ahead of Germany’s snap parliamentary elections set for February 23.

The chancellor further reinforced his confidence in Germany's democratic stability, countering Musk's attacks by asserting that "the German president is not an anti-democratic tyrant, and Germany remains a robust and stable democracy, regardless of what Musk says."

Scholz criticized Musk's alignment with AfD, a party that advocates closer ties with Putin's Russia and aims to weaken transatlantic relations. This, Scholz argued, poses a far greater issue than Musk's provocations.

AfD, which is polling second in recent surveys with 19% support behind the conservatives at 33%, admitted to regular contact with Musk's team, according to Der Spiegel. The party revealed plans for a live discussion between Musk and co-leader Alice Weidel on the X platform, set for January 9.

Asked about his own engagement with Musk, Scholz told Stern, "I don’t believe there’s a need to court Mr. Musk. I leave that to others." He noted his last meeting with Musk during the opening of Tesla’s Brandenburg factory in March 2022, at a time when local AfD members protested against the facility's establishment.

Musk's controversial stance extends beyond Germany. He has expressed support for far-right politics in the UK and has harshly criticized the European Commission. This growing political involvement continues to draw scrutiny across Europe.