First Thing: German far-right leader thanks Elon Musk after landmark election win praised by Russia

The leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel, has publicly thanked Elon Musk following her party's significant gains in recent European Parliament elections. The AfD secured a substantial number of seats, a result that has drawn attention from international observers, including the Russian government, which has praised the outcome. This interaction between a prominent European far-right figure and one of the world's most influential tech billionaires highlights the growing nexus between political movements and digital platforms.

The AfD's electoral success is a notable shift in the German political landscape, marking a resurgence for the party which has historically been on the fringes. Its platform often includes nationalist rhetoric and eurosceptic policies. The party's communication strategy has increasingly leveraged social media, making figures like Elon Musk, who controls influential platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), key figures in the dissemination of information and political discourse globally. Russia's positive reception of the AfD's results is seen by some analysts as an attempt to foster divisions within the European Union.