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Elon Musk: A polarizing force in European politics

Elon Musk has become a polarizing figure in Europe, viewed by some as a fearless advocate for free speech and by others as a reckless provocateur. The author Ayaan Hirsi Ali describes him as a “once-in-a-multigeneration human being” who champions the voiceless. Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, calls him “a classic social media adolescent” who is immature and unaccountable.

Musk, the billionaire boss of X, formerly Twitter, has in recent times taken over as an agent of controversy in British politics, amplifying attacks on Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and amplifying far-right narratives.

He infamously labeled Starmer as “evil” while supporting Conservative calls to reopen an inquiry into historical sexual abuse allegations involving Pakistani grooming gangs. Starmer has resisted such calls, arguing they are driven by anti-immigrant sentiment.

Musk’s influence stretches as far as Germany, where he urged voters to consider the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland, AfD, in forthcoming critical elections. In his interview conducted with AfD leader Alice Weidel, she controversially rewrote history, saying Hitler was mischaracterized as right-wing. The interview attracted 16 million views and is another illustration of the ever-growing influence that Musk holds over European politics.

Concerns about Musk’s influence are echoed across the Atlantic. US President Joe Biden warned of an emerging “oligarchy” fueled by immense wealth and misinformation. In Europe, experts said Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter was a move to offset costs by using political leverage.

The consequences are deep, therefore, as Musk wraps his corporate interests in national narratives. These only cemented the status brought on by space and communication ventures, and X has emerged as an influential platform in the shaping of public opinion-an important accountability and democratic discourses question of the future.

Source
Al Jazeera

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