German politician's "Nazi car" remark about Tesla sparks backlash
German politician Cansel Kiziltepe from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) stirred controversy with her post on platform X, where she described Tesla as a "Nazi car." Following a wave of criticism, Kiziltepe deleted her post, according to "Deutsche Welle."
The Prime Minister of Brandenburg, Dietmar Woidke, criticized Kiziltepe's statement, emphasizing that people from approximately 150 different nationalities work at Tesla's factory in Grünheide. "Considering that at Tesla’s Grünheide factory, alongside many Berliners, people from about 150 different nationalities work, this statement by the labor senator is completely misplaced," Woidke told the newspaper "Berliner Zeitung."
Furthermore, Brandenburg's Minister of Economy, Daniel Keller, urged Kiziltepe to retract her statement. "Such a Nazi comparison hurts people who work there and is completely inappropriate for the labor senator," he told the German agency DPA. "It's about well-paid, permanent jobs," Keller added.
The leader of the Berlin CDU parliamentary group, Dirk Stettner, also criticized Kiziltepe, describing her statement as a "dangerous relativization of Nazi terror."
"This is a dangerous relativization of Nazi terror, and thus the Holocaust," said Stettner, adding that the senator should explain her intentions.
Tesla in the face of challenges
Tesla, which has its factory in Grünheide, Brandenburg, employs about 11,000 people and is the largest employer in the region. The company faces image issues related to Elon Musk's controversial role in politics and his support for right-wing parties in Europe.
Kiziltepe maintained her criticism of Musk, writing that "Tesla is currently experiencing a sales collapse because customers associate an extreme right-wing position with its shareholder Elon Musk, who owns about 13 percent of the company's shares.” She also added that she does not blame Musk's employees or customers for his views.
