French President Emmanuel Macron has accused Elon Musk of meddling in European politics, joining other continental leaders in criticising the billionaire’s support for Germany’s far-right AfD ahead of the country’s elections.
French President Emmanuel Macron has joined other European leaders criticising Elon Musk, accusing the billionaire of directly interfering in the continent's democratic processes, including Germany's upcoming snap federal elections.
Macron's comments came during a speech to French ambassadors, where he refrained from naming Musk explicitly but left little doubt about the target of his remarks.
"Ten years ago, who could have imagined that the owner of one of the world's largest social networks would support a new international reactionary movement and intervene directly in elections, including in Germany," Macron said, addressing concerns about Musk's influence.
The criticism follows Musk's support for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, describing it as Germany's "last spark of hope," in a controversial op-ed for Welt am Sonntag.
Musk also announced to his 211 million followers on X that he will be hosting a live conversation with co-chairwoman of AfD Alice Weidel this Thursday. Germany's general elections are set to take place on 23 February 2025.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has also voiced concerns, stating that it was "worrying" to see someone with Musk's "enormous access to social media and huge economic resources" directly involve himself in other countries' internal affairs. Støre emphasised that such actions were inappropriate between democratic allies, especially with Norway's own general elections approaching this September.
The Germany government has called out Musk by his name. "We act as if Mr Musk's statements... could influence a country of 84 million people with untruths or half-truths or expressions of opinion. This is simply not the case," a spokesperson said.
"The normal people, the sensible people, the decent people are far in the majority in this country," they added.
Musk's backing of the AfD has fueled concerns across Europe, particularly as the party has been classified as a suspected extremist group by German intelligence.
His support comes amid broader tensions between Musk and several European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently faced attacks from Musk over his handling of the Rotherham child sex abuse scandal involving grooming gangs of predominantly South Asian men.
Starmer, who served as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) up until 2013, was accused by Musk of being "complicit in the rape of Britain."
When asked at a conference on Monday about Musk's X comments about Jess Phillips, the Home Office minister, Starmer said: "Those that are spreading lies and disinformation as far and wide as possible are not interested in victims. They're interested in themselves. Those who are cheerleading Tommy Robinson aren't interested in justice. They're supporting a man who went to prison for nearly collapsing a grooming case, a gang grooming case.
"These are people getting some sort of vicarious thrill from the street violence people like Tommy Robinson promote. And those that are attacking Jess Philips, who I'm proud to call a colleague and a friend, are not protecting victims."
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Musk's actions, telling Stern magazine, "don't feed the troll" and calling his comments "erratic".
"I don't believe in courting Mr. Musk's favour. I'm happy to leave that to others," he added, hinting at Musk's cosy relationship with Trump and his heavy involvement in the United States' 2024 Presidential elections.
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near...
Another busy day is underway at the FIFA World Cup as Ivory Coast reached the knockout stage for the first time. Ecuador pulled off a shock win over G...
Manhattan prosecutors have moved to drop a third-degree rape charge against movie producer Harvey Weinstein after his accuser said she no longer wishe...
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress of its intention to sell more than $700 million worth of jet engines ...
A federal judge has ordered Elon Musk to testify under oath in two proposed class-action lawsuits accusing him of misleading voters in swing states wi...
Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations will meet at a French lakeside resort on Monday against a backdrop of preliminary deal to end U.S. and Iran war reached by both sides.
In the runup to the G7 summit, hosted by France in Évian-les-Bains on Monday, 15 June, China has addressed global economic balances in a videoconference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. It is a rarity for Beijing to engage directly with the group.
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing will attend a video conference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (12 June) to discuss global economic imbalances, marking a rare high-level engagement between China and G7 nations ahead of next week's summit in France.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (21 May), with both leaders discussing bilateral ties, regional developments and ongoing peace efforts in the South Caucasus.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress of its intention to sell more than $700 million worth of jet engines to Türkiye. The move drew objections from lawmakers over Ankara’s continued possession of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems.
A federal judge has ordered Elon Musk to testify under oath in two proposed class-action lawsuits accusing him of misleading voters in swing states with his $1 million-a-day giveaway ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.
Torrential rain from Typhoon Mekkhala shut down large parts of southern Taiwan on Thursday (25 June), leaving more than five million people off work or school as flooding cut sections of the island’s main rail line and forced evacuations.
Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 235 people, trapping hundreds under rubble and leaving tens of thousands unaccounted for, as emergency crews and international rescue teams raced to respond.
The United Kingdom recorded a provisional high of 36.4°C on Thursday, according to the Met Office, making it the hottest June day on record. The extreme heat is part of a wider heatwave affecting much of Western Europe, with temperatures remaining well above seasonal averages.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment