Political life on the Old Continent is experiencing unprecedented interference from the richest man in the world
Dir.bg
Elon Musk’s name continues to loom large on the European political scene, and as a major figure. His statements in defense of certain political forces in some European countries have sparked heated debate across the Old Continent.
Elon Musk
Musk to interview the leader of the Alternative for Germany live on “X”
Germany stands up to Musk: Hands off our democracy
The German president has become another target of Elon Musk
German politicians have called Elon Musk’s support for the AfD “an intrusive foreign influence”
After Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, Musk has increasingly tried to influence European politics with his statements, DPA noted. In his comments, he called German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier a “tyrant” and Chancellor Olaf Scholz a “fool”.
What’s happening: who is the American billionaire promoting
At the very end of 2024 Elon Musk has sparked heated political debate with an article published in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper in which, on the eve of the federal elections scheduled for February 23, he advocates for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). In the article, Musk warns of an “economic and cultural collapse” in Germany and calls the AfD “the last glimmer of hope for this country.” According to him, the notion that the AfD is a far-right party is “categorically wrong.”
In the latest survey for 2024 and the first for 2025, the AfD is in second place with 20% and 21.5% of respondents, respectively. The leader so far is Friedrich Merz’s conservative alliance – the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) (with 31% support). Merz himself reacted immediately: “I do not remember such a case of interference in the election campaign of a friendly country in the history of Western democracies.” He called Musk’s article “intrusive and pretentious.”
The comments in Germany have not stopped for a week now. Elon Musk has limited influence on the German people, a federal government spokesman said today.
“Normal, sensitive and moderate people represent a significant majority in this country,” the government spokesman said at a regular press conference in the German capital, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
We act as if Musk’s statements can influence a country with a population of 84 million through false statements, half-truths or the expression of personal opinions. “That’s simply not the case,” the spokesman noted.
Chancellor Scholz, in turn, focused less on the insults than on the more disturbing fact, in his opinion, that Musk supports a far-right party like the AfD, which advocates rapprochement with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and seeks to weaken transatlantic relations.
Fueling the fire was added by a video conference call announced for January 9 between the AfD’s leading candidate in the Bundestag elections, Alice Weidel, and Elon Musk. The conversation between Musk and Weidel will begin at 7:00 p.m. German time (8:00 p.m. Bulgarian time) and will be broadcast live on the social network “Ex”, which is owned by the American billionaire. “The main topics will be freedom of expression and the AfD’s ideas for a sustainable Germany,” a spokesman for Weidel told DPA on January 4.
Today, the European Commission announced that it will monitor whether the interview will be within the framework of European rules for the activities of large online platforms. A spokesman for the commission explained at a press conference that the rules prohibit large platforms from advertising or reducing the visibility of certain content. According to him, such interference is possible with the application of a certain algorithm.
Platforms must assess the dangers, including for the electoral process, for example, with preferential treatment, including in terms of content, from Musk on his own platform, the spokesman said, quoted by BTA. In December, we began an investigation into “Ex” on suspicion of violating rules related to elections, he added.
According to him, a joint meeting between representatives of the EC, “Ex” and the German authorities is planned at the end of the month, dedicated to the dangers regarding the upcoming elections in Germany. The platform must operate within the legal framework and not be abused in a way that could, for example, influence the elections, the spokesman added.
Freedom of expression is the foundation of European democracy and at the heart of European rules, everyone has the freedom to express an opinion. European rules do not censor content, but they place restrictions on abuses; they allow interviews in which opinions are expressed, but prevent the promotion of such content, the spokesman explained.
Musk declared his support for the “Alternative for Germany”See more
Musk declared his support for the “Alternative for Germany”
We want the owner of the platform not to give preference to one of the candidates in the elections or to provide it with increased visibility, the spokesman said. According to him, “Ex” will have to explain to the commission how European rules were applied in the upcoming broadcast of Musk’s interview.
At the same time, the already well-known Alice Weidel said today that the events in Austria should convince the conservative CDU to abandon its decision not to cooperate with the AfD.
“The last hour will soon come for the so-called protective wall (the cordon sanitaire of the system parties against the far right) against us,” Weidel said, quoted by DPA and BTA.
The CDU and its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), together forming the conservative CDU/CSU bloc in parliament, have repeatedly ruled out the possibility of cooperating with the AfD after next month’s elections.
However, Weidel said that the success of the Austrian Freedom Party, which the AfD considers a “sister party”, should serve as a warning to Friedrich Merz, the CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor.
The Austrian Freedom Party (AFP) was given a mandate to form a government in Austria today.
According to Weidel, voters will not want coalitions “in which the left-wing parties set the direction” if the CDU/CSU and AfD hold a majority of seats in parliament.
“New reactionary international”
A strong reaction from Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron accused Elon Musk, without mentioning him by name, of supporting a “new reactionary international” and interfering in elections, Agence France-Presse reported.
Musk became the first person in the world with a fortune of over $400 billionSee more
Musk became the first person in the world with a fortune of over $400 billion
“If someone had told us ten years ago that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new reactionary international and directly interfere in elections, including in Germany? Who could have imagined it?” Macron said during an address to French ambassadors he gathered at the Elysee Palace.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also did not remain silent in response to Musk, albeit on a seemingly non-political issue. He said today that people spreading lies and disinformation online are not interested in supporting victims (of crime), but only in themselves.
“Those who spread lies and misinformation on the largest scale are not interested in the victims, they are only interested in themselves,” Starmer said, responding to a question about Elon Musk’s recent attacks on the way the prime minister has handled child pornography cases in Britain.
But on a completely political issue, Elon Musk said today that Nigel Farage should step down as leader of the right-wing British party Reform UK. Reuters reported that this was a sharp withdrawal of support for Farage by Musk.
“The Reform UK party needs a new leader. Farage does not have what it takes,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X.
Musk appeared to support Brexit campaigner Farage, posting a photo with the Briton last month, Reuters reported.
There have even been reports in the media that Musk could make a large financial donation to Reform UK to help it compete with the two leading British parties – Labour and the Conservatives.
However, Farage distanced himself yesterday from Musk’s comments in support of British anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known by his pseudonym Tommy Robinson, who is serving a prison sentence. This caused Elon Musk to turn against Farage.
A representative of another non-EU country – Norway – also expressed his opinion. Its Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described today as disturbing the fact that Elon Musk is directly interfering in domestic political matters in countries outside the US.
“I find it disturbing that someone with enormous access to social media and enormous economic resources interferes so directly in the internal affairs of other countries,” Støre told Norwegian public television, as quoted by Reuters.
“This is not the way things should happen between democracies and allies,” he stressed.
If Musk interferes in Norwegian politics, the country’s politicians should collectively distance themselves from such efforts, Støre urged.
“He is a genius”
At the other extreme, however, is Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who defended Elon Musk from criticism and called him a “genius man” in an interview published a few days ago with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, DPA reported.
“He is a significant figure of our time, an exceptional innovator who always thinks about the future,” Meloni said.
The leader of the far-right Italian Brothers party also mentioned her personal relationship with the Tesla founder. “We are definitely two people who have a very good relationship,” she said.
“He is a genius man and it is always very interesting to communicate with him,” Meloni pointed out.
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