Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has sparked controversy by publicly endorsing Germany’s far-right Choice for germany (AfD) party ahead of the contry’s general election on February 23.During a broadcast on his social media platform X, Musk urged Germans to vote for the AfD, calling its co-leader Alice Weidel “the leading candidate to run Germany.” This move has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders across Europe, who accuse Musk of meddling in democratic processes.
Musk’s endorsement of the AfD comes after his accomplished efforts to support Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Now, he is turning his attention to Europe, where he has shown particular interest in Germany, home to Tesla’s first European plant, which opened in 2022. In his conversation with Weidel, Musk criticized Germany’s energy policy, bureaucracy, and immigration policies, calling them “crazy” and warning that “things are going to get vrey, very much worse in Germany” if the AfD is not supported.
The AfD, an anti-immigration and anti-Islamic party, has been labeled as right-wing extremist by German security services. Despite its second-place standing in polls, the party has little chance of forming a government due to widespread refusal by other parties to collaborate with it. Musk, however, dismissed these concerns, stating, “I think Alice Weidel is a very reasonable person. Nothing outrageous is being proposed.”
Weidel,speaking in fluent English,expressed gratitude for Musk’s support,claiming it was the first time in a decade she had been given a platform to speak without interruption. “People love to censor things they don’t agree with,” Musk agreed, drawing a controversial comparison between the media’s treatment of the AfD and Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s suppression of pro-jewish voices in the 1930s.
European leaders have reacted with alarm to Musk’s political activities. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez accused him of undermining democracy, while France’s foreign minister called for stronger EU laws to guard against outside interference. Ireland’s European Commissioner Michael McGrath warned that the EU has the power to act if Musk’s actions breach EU law.
Musk, who describes himself as a libertarian, has also clashed with German leaders. He called German President frank-Walter steinmeier a “tyrant” for criticizing the AfD and demanded Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s resignation following a deadly car attack on a German Christmas market. Both Steinmeier and Scholz belong to the center-left Social Democrats (SPD).
In an opinion piece for Welt Am Sonntag,Musk doubled down on his support for the AfD,describing the party as “the last hope for Germany.” He also recounted the bureaucratic hurdles he faced while opening tesla’s German plant, which required 25,000 pages of permits. “It literally was a truck of paper,” he said.
On energy policy, Musk backed Germany’s renewable ambitions but criticized the decision to shut down nuclear power plants. “When I saw that Germany was turning off the power plants after being cut off from gas supplies from Russia, I thought …this is one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Musk’s political interventions have not been limited to Germany. He has also been embroiled in a bitter dispute with the British government over accusations against Prime Minister keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips regarding historic crimes committed by grooming gangs in northern England.As Musk continues to wield his influence on the global political stage, his actions raise questions about the role of billionaires in shaping democratic processes. With the German election just weeks away, his endorsement of the AfD has added fuel to an already contentious political landscape.
Key Points Summary
| Topic | Details |
|——————————-|—————————————————————————–|
| musk’s Endorsement | Urged Germans to vote for the AfD,calling Alice Weidel “the leading candidate to run Germany.” |
| AfD’s Position | Second in polls but unlikely to form a government due to lack of coalition partners. |
| Controversial Comparisons | Musk and Weidel compared media treatment of AfD to Nazi suppression of pro-jewish voices. |
| European Reactions | Leaders like Pedro Sanchez and Michael McGrath criticized musk’s interference. |
| Bureaucratic Hurdles | Musk recounted the 25,000-page permit process for tesla’s German plant. |
| Energy Policy Critique | Musk criticized Germany’s decision to shut down nuclear power plants. |
Musk’s foray into European politics underscores the growing influence of tech billionaires in global affairs. As the German election approaches, his actions will undoubtedly remain a focal point of debate.
EU launches “Democracy Shield” to Safeguard Elections from Interference
The European Union is taking decisive steps to protect its democratic processes from external manipulation and interference. Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath has announced plans to introduce legislation later this year for the EU’s “Democracy Shield”, a framework designed to safeguard European elections from undue influence by outside actors.
This initiative comes amid growing concerns over the role of large social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), in shaping public opinion and potentially swaying electoral outcomes. The EU’s efforts are bolstered by the Digital Services Act (DSA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at ensuring accountability and transparency among tech giants.
The Role of the Digital Services Act
The DSA, spearheaded by Henna Virkkunen, legally obligates major platforms like X to implement robust content moderation systems and remove harmful content. According to McGrath,the European Commission is prepared to intervene when necessary.
“The [European] Commission services stand ready to step in where necessary where we believe that the Digital Services Act has been breached,” McGrath stated.
The Commission has already launched an investigation into X in december 2023, scrutinizing its compliance with the DSA. Key areas under review include:
- Risk mitigation obligations
- Content moderation practices
- Advertising transparency
- access for researchers
- Awarding of blue ticks
- Use of dark patterns (designs that manipulate user behaviour)
McGrath emphasized that the investigation is a standalone process that must “follow due process,” with conclusions to be drawn after a thorough evaluation.
The Threat of Unfair Amplification
One of the primary concerns is the potential misuse of technological tools to artificially amplify certain content, particularly during election periods. McGrath highlighted the risks posed by Elon Musk’s platform, X, which has been accused of leveraging algorithms to boost specific narratives.
“The issue at hand is whether there is unfair amplification of certain content,” McGrath explained. “Very large online platforms have enormous power, and they have the ability to amplify certain content above and beyond other content.”
This concern was underscored by a recent conversation between Elon Musk and Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s far-right AfD party.McGrath warned that such interactions could be exploited to influence the upcoming German elections.
Balancing Freedom of speech and Accountability
While the EU is committed to protecting freedom of speech, McGrath stressed the need to ensure that platforms do not misuse their influence to sway electoral outcomes.
“We have to,on the one hand,protect freedom of speech,which is a fundamental right,but on the other hand,ensure that these very large online platforms do not use the powerful tools at their disposal to amplify certain messages with a view to influencing the outcome of elections,” he said.
The DSA empowers the Commission to impose notable penalties, including fines based on a percentage of a company’s global turnover.However, McGrath clarified that such measures would only be taken on a case-by-case basis, supported by concrete evidence.
Key takeaways
| Aspect | Details |
|————————–|—————————————————————————–|
| Democracy Shield | Legislation to protect EU elections from interference and manipulation. |
| Digital Services Act | Mandates content moderation, transparency, and accountability for platforms.|
| Investigation into X | Focuses on compliance with DSA, content moderation, and dark patterns. |
| Penalties | Fines up to a percentage of global turnover for non-compliance. |
| Freedom of Speech | Balanced with the need to prevent unfair amplification of content. |
Looking Ahead
The EU’s proactive stance reflects a broader global effort to address the challenges posed by digital platforms in democratic processes. As McGrath noted, the DSA remains a “very powerful legislative tool” that will be used judiciously to uphold democratic integrity.
With the Democracy shield set to launch later this year, the EU is positioning itself as a leader in combating election interference and ensuring that technology serves, rather than undermines, democratic values.
For more updates on the EU’s efforts to safeguard elections,follow our coverage here.
Additional reporting by Tony Connelly.
The text you provided discusses Elon Musk’s political interventions, especially his endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and the European Union’s response to concerns about external interference in democratic processes. Below is a structured summary of the key points:
Key Points Summary
| Topic | Details |
|——————————-|—————————————————————————–|
| Musk’s Endorsement | Urged Germans to vote for the AfD, calling Alice Weidel “the leading candidate to run Germany.” |
| AfD’s Position | Second in polls but unlikely to form a government due to lack of coalition partners. |
| Controversial Comparisons | Musk and Weidel compared media treatment of AfD to Nazi suppression of pro-Jewish voices. |
| European Reactions | Leaders like pedro Sanchez and Michael McGrath criticized Musk’s interference. |
| Bureaucratic Hurdles | Musk recounted the 25,000-page permit process for Tesla’s German plant. |
| Energy Policy Critique | Musk criticized Germany’s decision to shut down nuclear power plants. |
EU’s Response: “Democracy Shield”
The European Union is taking steps to protect its democratic processes from external manipulation, particularly through social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Key initiatives include:
- Digital Services Act (DSA):
- Requires major platforms to implement robust content moderation systems and remove harmful content.
– ensures clarity in advertising and access for researchers.
– Prohibits the use of “dark patterns” that manipulate user behavior.
- Examination into X:
– Launched in December 2023 to scrutinize compliance with the DSA.
- Focus areas include risk mitigation, content moderation, and advertising transparency.
- “Democracy Shield”:
– A proposed legislative framework to safeguard European elections from undue influence.
- Aims to address concerns about unfair amplification of content during election periods.
Musk’s Political Interventions
- support for AfD:
- Musk endorsed the AfD, describing it as “the last hope for Germany.”
– Praised Alice Weidel as a “reasonable person” despite the party’s extremist label.
- Criticism of German Leaders:
– Called German President Frank-walter Steinmeier a “tyrant” for criticizing the AfD.
– Demanded chancellor Olaf Scholz’s resignation after a deadly car attack on a Christmas market.
- Energy policy:
- Backed Germany’s renewable energy ambitions but criticized the shutdown of nuclear power plants.
- global Influence:
- Musk’s actions raise questions about the role of billionaires in shaping democratic processes.
- His interventions have sparked alarm among European leaders, who view them as undermining democracy.
European Leaders’ Reactions
- Pedro Sanchez (Spain): accused Musk of undermining democracy.
- Michael McGrath (EU Commissioner): Warned of EU action if Musk’s actions breach EU law.
- French Foreign Minister: Called for stronger EU laws to guard against outside interference.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s foray into European politics, particularly his endorsement of the AfD, has intensified debates about the influence of tech billionaires on democratic processes. The EU’s “Democracy Shield” and the Digital Services Act represent efforts to counter such interference and ensure transparency and accountability in the digital sphere. As the German election approaches, Musk’s actions will likely remain a focal point of political and public discourse.
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This summary captures the main themes and details of the provided text,highlighting the intersection of technology,politics,and democracy in the context of Elon Musk’s influence and the EU’s response.
