Emmanuel Macron accuses Elon Musk of election interference, citing his support for Germany's far-right AfD and growing influence on global politics through his platform, X.
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused Elon Musk of “directly interfering” in elections globally, including the upcoming elections in Germany, according to The Telegraph.
In a speech to French ambassadors, Macron stated, “Ten years ago, who could have imagined it if we had been told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new international reactionary movement and intervene directly in elections, including in Germany.”
Outlining France’s foreign policy for 2025, Macron also reiterated France’s backing of the incoming Trump administration, emphasizing that the U.S. president-elect “knows he has a strong ally in France.”
This follows Musk’s public endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, expressed both on his social media platform X and in an opinion column for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
Musk’s support for the AfD, which Germany’s intelligence services classify as a suspected extremist group, has become increasingly explicit. Last month, Musk declared that “Only the AfD can save Germany.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to Musk’s recent remarks by saying, “Don’t feed the troll.” In an interview with Stern, Scholz added, “As Social Democrats, we have long been used to the fact that there are rich media entrepreneurs who do not appreciate social democratic politics – and do not hide their opinions,” noting that he would not engage further with Musk.
Musk has been critical of Scholz, labeling him a “fool,” referring to him as “Oaf Schitz,” and repeatedly calling for his resignation. The Tesla CEO, who was appointed to an advisory role in Trump’s administration after aiding the Republican campaign, has increasingly used X to promote far-right and anti-establishment parties across Europe while criticizing central-left leaders.
In the UK, Musk recently called for a new election and demanded that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer be imprisoned for allegedly failing to prosecute gangs involved in child exploitation. Starmer responded by condemning the “lies and misinformation” undermining democracy in the UK.
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