EU must defend itself against Musk's political machinations!

EU must defend itself against Musk's political machinations!

Amid a brewing storm over Elon Musk's meddling in European politics, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has called on the EU to take stronger measures to protect member states. “If the EU Commission cannot protect us from these interferences or threats of interference, then it must give the member states back the ability to protect themselves,” Barrot said in an interview with France Inter on Wednesday. The sharpness of these comments is heightened by Musk's growing influence on European political landscapes after being appointed special adviser by Donald Trump.

Musk's influence and future actions

Musk, who has 200 million followers on his platform X, has recently aggressively intervened in the politics of European governments and thrown his support behind populist movements. Of particular concern is an upcoming live conversation with German right-wing populist Alice Weidel on X, which Barrot says crosses clear boundaries. The French minister emphasized that he had repeatedly called on the EU Commission to take decisive action against Musk's behavior. “We have to wake up,” warned Barrot, noting that a ban on Musk’s platform in Europe, similar to the Brazilian model, is legally possible.

The political waves are running high as Musk uses his online presence to influence elections and opinions in Europe. Barrot is now calling on the EU to stop being passive. As discussions about the role of big tech companies in politics intensify, it remains to be seen what concrete steps the EU will take to curb Musk's influence, as it has already done in the crown and the Berlin daily newspaper was discussed.