French President Emmanuel Macron has raised concerns about the political influence of Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), accusing him of meddling in European politics, including Germany’s elections. Macron made the remarks during a speech to French ambassadors on Monday.
The French president highlighted the unprecedented nature of such interference, stating, “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?”
Macron’s comments come in the wake of Musk’s public support for Germany’s hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In an opinion piece published by the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Musk dismissed claims that the AfD is a right-wing extremist party, citing its leader Alice Weidel’s personal life. “The portrayal of the AfD as rightwing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk wrote.
The opinion piece sparked significant backlash, with the newspaper’s opinion editor resigning over its publication. Musk’s endorsement of the AfD, coupled with his comments, has drawn sharp criticism across Europe.
Macron’s speech also touched on the implications of Musk’s influence beyond Europe, pointing to his support for former U.S. President Donald Trump. Macron remarked that Trump, now the United States president-elect, “knows he has a strong ally in France.”
The accusations against Musk follow a statement from the German government last week, accusing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO of attempting to interfere in its electoral process.
Musk’s engagement in international politics through his social media platform has sparked a debate about the growing influence of tech billionaires in shaping political narratives across the globe.
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