Several European leaders have directly or indirectly condemned the actions of the owners of social network X.
advertisementThe feud between Europe and the world’s richest man has intensified after several European leaders accused Elon Musk of interfering in national debates.
The president of France, the chancellor of Germany, and the prime ministers of the United Kingdom and Spain all condemned the American billionaire’s abuse on social network X (formerly Twitter).
French President Emmanuel Macron accused Musk of supporting “new reactionary internationalists” without naming him.
“Who would have imagined 10 years ago if someone had told us that the owner of one of the world’s largest social networks would support a new reactionary international and intervene directly in elections, including in Germany?” Macron he said.
The Spanish Prime Minister also echoed this sentiment. “As President Macron said (…) the reactionary international, led by the richest man on the planet, openly attacks our institutions, incites hatred and threatens the successors of Nazism in Germany in the next elections. “We are openly appealing for help,” Pedro Sanchez said.
In recent weeks, Mr. Musk has made a series of shocking statements.
The billionaire and Donald Trump confidant called German Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool” after the Magdeburg Christmas market attack.
The Tesla boss also accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of negligence in the 1990s when he was a prosecutor in connection with the sexual exploitation of more than 1,500 underage girls by men of Pakistani descent.
Berlin condemned the billionaire’s “erratic statements” and London condemned “those who spread lies and misinformation.”
Musk’s interference in Germany’s election campaign is now taking a new turn. On Thursday, X will broadcast a live interview with Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which he openly supports.
It’s not prohibited, but can it be amplified?
It is therefore no wonder that EU member states are paying close attention to what the European Commission has to say.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault called on the European Commission to intervene with “the utmost decisiveness.” The French Foreign Secretary did not rule out a ban on X in Europe, similar to what happened in Brazil. “This is provided for in our law,” he said.
The European Commission has been investigating social networks under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) since 2023.
German MP Damian Boeselager (Green Party/EFA) questioned the committee about Elon Musk’s position and the legality of these interventions.
“If there is a violation of the DSA, I want a swift response. So, very simply, Elon Musk has expanded his power and used that expansion to influence Germany’s elections in Germany. We are endorsing a political party called AfD.” If it is illegal under the DSA, we will need to act quickly,” Boeselager said.
advertisementThe European Commission points out that freedom of expression is at the heart of European regulation. However, in this case, the EU can use other means.
“Through algorithms, we can support certain types of narratives. We can support certain types of content, and we can ban other types of content,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Renier said. It can also be done.”
“We have clearly indicated that such live streams are not prohibited in principle by the DSA. Now, to what extent is that or could it be amplified? will investigate,” he added.
The European Commission, German regulators and major digital platforms, including X, are scheduled to meet on January 24 to prevent interference during the German elections.
advertisementVideo editor Sertac Aktan
