Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gaar Stoer said on Monday that he was “concerned” that billionaire social media owners like Elon Musk were interfering in other countries’ politics.
Musk, a key ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, went on a social media rampage over the holidays, supporting the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and repeatedly criticizing UK Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer. criticized and even criticized his statements. His relationship with British far-right leader Nigel Farage.
“It is alarming that someone with enormous access to social media and enormous financial resources is so directly involved in the internal affairs of another country. It’s not what it looks like,” Store told public broadcaster NRK.
Store was asked if he was concerned about Musk’s possible interference in Norway’s elections.
“If something like this were to happen in Norway, I would expect and assume that a unified Norwegian political environment would warn and distance itself from it,” Store added.
Store’s comments are part of a mainstream political backlash against Musk, with German political leaders claiming the Tesla entrepreneur’s support for the AfD amounts to election interference.
Musk has announced that he will hold a live debate on X with AfD chancellor candidate Alice Weidel this week ahead of Germany’s snap elections on February 23.
