Elon Musk’s political maneuvering raises concerns about the rise of far-right forces in Europe and their influence on young people

He called for new elections in the UK, promoted the far right in Germany and criticized the European Commission – and that’s just the beginning. Elon Musk is driving the hard right in Europe, and progressives are wondering how, or even if, to contain him.

The intervention by the world’s richest man – who is also the owner of one of the planet’s biggest megaphones, the social media platform It has secured a strong influence. The increasingly powerful heads of Tesla and SpaceX are now turning their attention to Europe, where many governments are already grappling with the rise of populism and the far right.

“(Keir) Starmer must be released and charged with complicity in the worst mass crime in British history,” the billionaire recently posted. He was referring to the British prime minister’s time as chief state prosecutor in England and Wales, which coincided with the child grooming scandal, about which he repeatedly posted on Friday.

Mr Musk also called for the release of extremist agitator Tommy Robinson and backed Nigel Farage’s anti-immigrant Reform UK party, with whom he recently met. On Friday, he shared a message from former Prime Minister Liz Truss calling for the end of funding for the state-run BBC.

Similar to the United States, Mr. Musk is becoming increasingly popular among young men in the United Kingdom, according to the Savanta polling organization. Chris Hopkins, Savanta’s director of political research, told AFP on Friday that for them, “the line between success and perceived wealth is increasingly blurred by politics.”

Downing Street has so far refrained from engaging with Mr Musk’s comments, other than the odd mild rebuke and stressing that it is “looking forward” to working with the Trump administration. British government officials’ responses on Friday to Mr. Musk’s latest attacks over the exploitation scandal highlighted the sensitivity of leaders’ high-handed behavior.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV News that Mr Musk’s comments were “misjudged and definitely misinformed”. But he quickly added, “We are going to work with Elon Musk, who has a huge role on social media platforms, to help us and other countries tackle this serious problem.” It will help.”

“As 2025 begins, Mr. Musk is no longer a jaundiced pundit of British politics, but a powerhouse within politics,” political commentator Patrick Maguire wrote in The Times on Friday.

“The government needs to think about how to deal with Elon Musk and his interference, because this is not sustainable,” says Sky News political reporter Ben, as Musk renews his call for new elections.・Mr. Block posted on X Friday.

“dictator”

The UK is not Musk’s only target in Europe. During Trump’s visit to Florida last month, he met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a leading figure on the radical right. The businessman is also accused of interference by the German government for his strong support for the far-right AfD party ahead of parliamentary elections.

On January 9th, he will host a conversation on X with party leader Alice Weidel. The 53-year-old businessman has recently been branded the “dictator” judge who annulled Romania’s presidential election amid allegations of Russian interference.

Mr Musk is also an enthusiastic supporter of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the country’s far-right leader since 1945, whom he calls a “genius”.

politics and business

Experts suggest that Mr. Musk’s political efforts are closely tied to economic interests. Ilan Kapur, a professor at Toronto’s York University known for his critical work on neoliberalism, said that for Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump, “democracy, debate, disagreement, and the state welfare system are all obstacles to business.” .

“This is why they look favorably on more authoritarian forms of government, which they believe can function more efficiently by eliminating political opposition and reducing the role of government. Yes (although there is a contradiction that when it comes to the issue, significant state intervention is required)’ (their ‘law and order’ agenda).

Musk also criticized the European Commission, calling the functioning of the European Union undemocratic and calling for an expanded role for the European Parliament. His comments come as the EU seeks to tackle rampant disinformation on social media and regulate the X Network under landmark new content laws.

Former European Commissioner Vera Jourova went so far as to describe Musk as a “promoter of evil” in an interview with Politico last October.

Researchers at the European Council on Foreign Relations said in December that Musk could use X to “mobilize the public and far-right parties to exact political costs for EU decision-makers who pursue repression.” he warned.

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