Wednesday, January 08, 2025 - French President, Emmanuel Macron has lambasted Elon Musk for his involvement in European politics, accusing the tech mogul of intervening directly in elections across the continent.
During an address on foreign policy in Paris, Macron didn't
name Musk but made a reference to the billionaire's actions, by highlighting
concerns over his alleged support for Germany's far-right AfD party.
"Who could have imagined, 10 years ago, that the owner
of one of the world's largest social networks would intervene directly in
elections, including in Germany?" Macron said, according to
the Associated Press.
He also accused the X owner of promoting a "new
reactionary international" movement.
Macron warned of the dangerous consequences of concentrating
unchecked power in the hands of a few wealthy individuals, stressing the
destabilising effect such power could have on democratic systems.
According to the AP report, Macron also perceived Musk's
actions as a challenge to Europe's democratic values and unity, advocating for
greater resilience in the face of external threats to the continent's
stability.
Macron comes amid growing unease in Europe about Musk's
influence.
In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government has
specifically called out Musk.
"The normal people, the sensible people, the decent
people are far in the majority in this country. We act as if Musk's
statements...could influence a country of 84 million people with untruths or
half-truths or expressions of opinion. This is simply not the case," a
government spokesperson told broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer was asked about Musk
during a press conference on child sexual abuse cases. Musk previously accused
Starmer of negligence during his tenure as a prosecutor, a claim Starmer
strongly denied. Without mentioning Musk's name, Starmer dismissed the
accusations as self-serving lies.
According to Sky News, Starmer said, “Those that are
spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible are not
interested in victims. They're interested in themselves.”
Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store also weighed in on
Musk's political influence.
"I find it worrying that a man with enormous access to
social media and huge economic resources involves himself so directly in the
internal affairs of other countries," Reuters quoted him as
telling Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
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