Across Europe, aligning with Alice Weidel is widely regarded as a provocative move. Weidel, a prominent figure in the anti-immigration and populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, belongs to a group repeatedly accused of controversial behavior, including efforts to PLACEHOLDER408862657e8a1f4c and PLACEHOLDER9c90163427f4ea05 Nazi crimes. Notably, the AfD is currently polling as Germany’s second most popular party.
French President Emmanuel Macron swiftly criticized Elon Musk for his outspoken support of the AfD. Speaking at the Elysée Palace, Macron remarked, “Ten years ago, who could have imagined that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would back a new international reactionary movement and directly interfere in elections, including in Germany?”
The spotlight is now on the European Commission to respond, as it oversees the enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA), a regulatory framework for social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Under the DSA, platforms risk fines of up to 6 percent of their global revenue—or even temporary bans—if they are found to violate its provisions.
Unfair Advantage
The central legal issue Musk faces under the DSA lies not so much with the platform’s content, but with the extent to which X’s reach might skew electoral fairness by granting the AfD an outsized advantage over its competitors.
Thierry Breton, the EU’s former digital affairs chief, weighed in on Saturday, warning that Weidel is gaining “a significant and valuable advantage” over her political rivals on X. Breton also reminded Musk of his obligations under EU social media law.
German Greens lawmaker Alexandra Geese framed the issue more sharply, stating: “Elon Musk having a public dialogue with AfD leader Alice Weidel on X falls under freedom of speech. However, his algorithmic manipulation—which is deliberately inundating German timelines with far-right propaganda while suppressing progressive voices—does not.”
Leave a Reply