Germany’s three main left-wing parties on Monday jointly announced they are leaving Elon Musk’s X over what they describe as a surge in disinformation on the social media platform.
The three parties – the Social Democrats (SPD), the junior partner in Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition, and the opposition Greens and The Left – said “X has descended into chaos in recent years” in statements posted on social media.
“Political debates thrive on dialogue and on reaching and informing people,” the SPD parliamentary group wrote on Facebook. “We no longer wish to support a platform such as X, which promotes right-wing populist content, hate speech and disinformation.”
The post includes a photo of Musk at a lectern, holding up his right arm in what appears to be a Hitler salute.
Musk, who bought the short-messaging app then called Twitter for some $44 billion in 2022, has come in for increased criticism over far-right views.
He sparked major outrage in January 2025, when he conducted gestures on stage during the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, with many identifying them as a Nazi salute. Musk dismissed the claims.
Many politicians, celebrities and businesses have left X since he took over, as user complaints mounted over how the platform changed under Musk’s leadership, including an increased spread of disinformation and hate speech.
In Germany, many senior politicians including Chancellor Friedrich Merz are still regularly posting on X, but an initiative reportedly launched by the Greens’ political executive director Pegah Edalatian appears intent on triggering a renewed exodus.
X has become “a gateway for disinformation and an aggressive culture of debate,” she told outlet Table.Media.
The hashtag #WirVerlassenX (#WeAreLeavingX), which was used by all three parties in announcing their decision, was trending in Germany on the platform on Monday.