Germany: Green Youth leader calls for armed struggle against party supported by Musk

Jette Nietzard, co-chair of Green Youth in Germany, spoke on the "Freitag Salon" podcast on RBB about possible forms of resistance against right-wing participation in the German government.

Looking ahead to the 2029 federal elections, the environmental leader said she wondered what a possible resistance against the participation of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the government might look like.

Nietzard literally said, "Will it be intellectual, will it be perhaps with weapons?" She went on to say, "I don't want to pigeonhole myself here, but I think as a society we have to ask ourselves: are we willing to go back to hiding people, are we willing to sit somewhere where it's important to defend a Parliament in the end?"

When asked by the moderator if she meant resistance "against the will of the voters," the environmentalist replied, "Against fascism."

In the weekly Der Freitag, Nietzard elaborated on her thoughts: "I really wonder if we are not overlooking a point at which we will later say, 'We should have intervened more forcefully.' To what extent is our civil society prepared, to what extent are our parties prepared so that in 2029 an extreme right-wing party could rule in Germany?"

Furthermore, the environmentalist raised a debate on how the democratic forces should act in such a case: "Would the parties in the Bundestag continue and try to counter the discourse of the AfD? Could they continue to look into the camera with folded arms and say how bad the right-wing extremists are?"

Nietzard added: "We have to reflect on that, also on what the resistance might look like in such a case." Nietzard stressed that she did not want to sow panic, but to initiate a social debate: "I just want us to ask ourselves: are we prepared?"

Ahead of Germany's general election slated for 2025, Elon Musk openly endorsed the AfD party, a Euroskeptic right-wing party that has been climbing in popularity. The owner of X expressed himself on his platform in December 2024, where he stated that this party is the only one capable of "saving" the European country.

A controversial political career

This call for violence against a legitimate party such as AfD is not the only controversy in which Jette Nietzard has found herself embroiled.

A month ago, the environmentalist posted a photo on Instagram wearing a sweater that read "ACAB" ("All Cops Are Bastards") and a cap with the slogan "Eat the Rich." Several leaders criticized her actions, and Baden-Württemberg Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann urged her to leave the party.

Also, in early June, in an Instagram video posted by Green Youth, the environmentalist claimed that "since Oct. 7, 2023, more than 50,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis have lost their lives in military operations." According to media outlet ZDFheute, the comments generated unease in society, as they were a minimization of Hamas terrorist attacks.

Following the strong protests, Nietzard apologized, "Yesterday I uploaded a video on a subject that emotionally affects the entire party," she said.

"I made a mistake for which I want to apologize openly and sincerely. Especially to Jews around the world and in Germany," the Green Youth leader added.