Elon Musk wades into European politics

Summary

Consider This from NPR: Elon Musk Wades into European Politics Release Date: January 5, 2025

In this episode of NPR's Consider This, host Scott Detrow delves into the provocative involvement of billionaire Elon Musk in European politics, focusing primarily on Germany and the United Kingdom. Through insightful discussions and expert commentary, the episode explores the implications of Musk's political engagements and the reactions they have sparked across the continent.

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Elon Musk's Entrance into German Politics

The episode opens with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's announcement in late December about dissolving parliament and calling for early elections. Steinmeier highlighted concerns over "external influences endangering Germany's democracy," specifically pointing to Musk's activities on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Scott Detrow [00:00]: "He explicitly mentioned the social media platform X, where owner Elon Musk had posted his support for the Alternative for Germany or the AfD..."

Musk's public endorsement of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a party currently under scrutiny by Germany's domestic intelligence agency for potential right-wing extremism, has stirred significant controversy. The AfD leader, Alice Vital, responded with a video message expressing gratitude for Musk's support.

Alice Vital [00:38]: "The AfD is indeed the one and only alternative for our country, our last option, if you ask me."

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Political Reactions and Criticisms

Musk's foray into German politics has not been universally welcomed. Frederick Mertz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), criticized Musk's involvement, labeling him as "intrusive and pretentious."

Frederick Mertz [01:07]: Criticized Musk's understanding of the AfD and his globalist background.

Jackson Jayes from the German Marshall Fund elaborates on Musk's disconnect with the AfD's anti-globalist stance.

Jackson Jayes [01:10]: "He is the guy that represents all of the globalistic thinking that has made his career and his life possible. But here is a party that is against that."

Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended Germany's commitment to freedom of speech, despite Musk's controversial support.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz [01:25]: Affirmed that German law protects freedom of speech, including "bad political advice."

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Public Opinion in Germany

Rebecca Collard, NPR's reporter based in Berlin, provides on-the-ground insights into German public sentiment regarding Musk's political involvement. While some acknowledge Musk's economic contributions, such as his Tesla plant near Berlin, many view his political maneuvers as unwelcome interference.

Rebecca Collard [05:08]: "Germans will be voting February 23rd for a new federal government... Musk's support has caused a lot of concern about a foreign billionaire's ability to sway their politics."

Collard notes that despite Musk's high profile, his influence is limited by German laws restricting foreign political contributions and the unwillingness of other parties to form coalitions with the AfD.

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Musk's Involvement in UK Politics

Musk's political activities extend beyond Germany. In the United Kingdom, he has been openly critical of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, particularly regarding allegations of mishandling sexual assault cases against minors.

Rebecca Collard [06:19]: "Musk has really attacked British Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer... accusing him of failing to investigate when he was Director of Public Prosecutions."

Additionally, Musk has voiced support for the far-right Reform UK Party and advocated for the release of Tommy Robinson, a right-wing activist currently serving an 18-month jail sentence for breaching a court order.

Rebecca Collard [06:19]: "Musk has also talked about making sizable donations to the Reform UK Party... calling for Tommy Robinson's release."

These actions have prompted responses from British right-wing politicians, who are now urging President-elect Trump and his team to distance themselves from figures like Robinson.

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Comparing Musk's Influence in the US and Europe

The episode contrasts Musk's political impact in the United States with his endeavors in Europe. While Musk has been a significant influencer in American politics, particularly through his support of President-elect Donald Trump and substantial campaign contributions estimated at around $250 million, European laws impose stricter regulations on foreign political contributions.

Rebecca Collard [07:16]: "German law forbids any foreign contribution to any political party that exceeds €500... However, Musk's personal brand and his control over the platform X still pose significant concerns."

Despite legal constraints, Musk's ability to shape public discourse via his social media platform X remains a powerful tool in both regions. His interactions with European political figures, including a planned conversation with AfD leader Alice Vital, are expected to attract substantial attention and viewership.

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Implications for European Democracies

Musk's active participation in European politics raises alarms about the potential erosion of democratic norms and the influence of affluent individuals over political processes. Leaders like Germany's Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck accuse Musk of aiming for a "weak Europe" to serve his own interests.

Robert Habeck [07:16]: Accused Musk of attempting to weaken European unity for his personal gain.

The episode underscores the delicate balance European democracies must maintain in safeguarding against foreign interference while upholding free speech and fostering transparent political environments.

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Conclusion

Elon Musk's ventures into European politics illustrate the complex interplay between wealth, influence, and democratic integrity. As Musk continues to leverage his resources and platforms to support right-wing parties across Germany and the UK, European leaders and citizens alike grapple with the ramifications of his involvement. NPR's Consider This provides a comprehensive analysis of these developments, highlighting the broader challenges faced by democracies in an increasingly interconnected and media-driven world.

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For more insights and detailed discussions, tune into NPR's Consider This on your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Scott Detrow]

At the end of December, when German President Frank Walter Steinmeier announced he was dissolving parliament and clearing the way for early elections, he warned of what he called external influences endangering Germany's democracy.

[Jackson Jayes]

Einfluis nahme von ausen ist eine GE.

[Rebecca Collard]

Far feh die Democratie.

[Scott Detrow]

He explicitly mentioned the social media platform X, where owner Elon Musk had posted his support for the Alternative for Germany or the AfD, a party being monitored by the country's domestic intelligence agency for for potential right wing extremism.

[Alice Vital]

Dear Elon, thank you so much for your note.

[Scott Detrow]

Musk's public support prompted this video message from AFD leader Alice Vital.

[Alice Vital]

The AFD is indeed the one and only alternative for our country, our last option, if you ask me. I wish you and President Donald Trump all the best for the upcoming tenure.

[Scott Detrow]

But many were critical of the foreign billionaire's entrance into German politics. Frederick Mertz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union, a Conservative party currently pulling first ahead of February's elections, called Musk intrusive and pretentious.

[Jackson Jayes]

I don't think he knows much about the AfD.

[Scott Detrow]

Jackson Jayes is with the German Marshall Fund, a nonpartisan think tank.

[Jackson Jayes]

He is the guy that represents all of the globalistic thinking that has made his career and his life possible. But here is a party that is against that.

[Scott Detrow]

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said German law protects freedom of speech, including what he called bad political advice. But Germany is not the only European country that has received Musk's political advice lately. Musk joined a phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Elect Donald Trump. Days after Trump was elected to a second term. Musk reportedly told Zelenskyy that he could continue to support Ukraine through his Starlink satellites. And last week, Musk attacked British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the head of the Labour Party, and endorsed the far right Reform UK Party in a stream of dozens of expos. Consider this Elon Musk has cemented his place in American politics right next to President elect Donald Trump. Now he's looking to leverage his tremendous wealth and influence to secure power for some of Europe's most right wing parties. Coming up, we'll talk to Rebecca Collard, who has been reporting from Germany, on Musk's waiting into European politics.

[Jackson Jayes]

Foreign.

[Scott Detrow]

Scott Detrow.

[Jackson Jayes]

Wait, wait, don't tell me. Fresh Air up first, NPR News. Now Planet Money TED Radio Hour throughline the NPR Politics podcast Code Switch Embedded books we love Wild Card are just some of the podcasts you can enjoy sponsor free with NPR get all sorts of perks across more than 20 podcasts with the bundle option. Learn more at plus.npr.org it's consider this from NPR.

[Scott Detrow]

Billionaire Elon Musk begins 2025 as one of the most influential people in the United States. He's developed a close relationship with President elect Donald Trump, as has been advising the incoming administration on policy and staffing. And Musk is now increasingly weighing in on European politics as well, often over the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, which he now owns. Musk began voicing support for the far right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, in late December, and his input has generated a lot of response there. Reporter Rebecca Koller joins us now from Berlin. Hey there.

[Rebecca Collard]

Hello.

[Scott Detrow]

So it seems like there has been a lot of political reaction to Musk's comments. Tell us about that.

[Rebecca Collard]

Well, you can imagine Musk saying that the AFD is the only party that can save Germany, was, of course, welcomed by the AfD, but it's really been rejected as interference from other politicians across Germany's political spectrum. Germans will be voting February 23rd for a new federal government. And at the moment the far right AFD is polling second at about 20% behind the conservative CDU. But the AfD really has no chance of actually taking power because the other political parties in this country have said that they will not form a coalition with the AfD. And the federal police here have the party under observation because it's a possible threat to democracy. But I will say that Musk's support has caused a lot of concern about a foreign billionaire's ability to sway their politics. And, you know, after all this, Musk doubled down on that tweet with an op ed in a German newspaper justifying his interjection into German politics, mentioning his investments in this country. And that has really prompted a lot more response from Chancellor Olaf Scholz, from the head of the cdu, and most recently from Germany's vice chancellor from the Green Party, Robert Habeck. And here Habeck is accusing Musk of wanting a weak Europe for his own interests.

[Scott Detrow]

So that's leaders. What are other Germans saying about this?

[Rebecca Collard]

So I was out today talking to people just to try to get this kind of anecdotal gauge on how Germans are feeling because we've seen such a strong reaction from German politicians. And a lot of people I tried to speak to didn't want to or didn't care to talk about it. Lot of others really rejected it. I think Musk does have this special place in the Berlin consciousness He's this tech billionaire who built this Tesla plant just outside the capital and it employs thousands of people. But he's also kind of the antithesis of what a lot of people like to think Berlin is. And there's this kind of famous techno club here called Bergheim. It's notoriously hard to get into. And in 2022, Musk was rumored to have been rejected by the bouncer at the club, though Musk himself said he decided not to go in. But whatever really happened, a lot of people here really relished that story. There was tons of memes about it online, and people just kind of loved the fact that the world's richest man apparently got rejected from Berlin's coolest club.

[Scott Detrow]

Well, I guess you can go or say whatever you want when you own the social media app where you're posting, which is the case with X. And Musk is not just posting about Germany, though, which is also what makes this interesting. He's been weighing in on the politics in the United Kingdom as well. What's going on there?

[Rebecca Collard]

Yeah, so Musk has really attacked British Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer. A lot of his accusations have been related to sexual assault cases against minors in the uk, which Musk has accused Starmer of failing to investigate when his job was Director of Public Prosecutions. And that was really him copying the lines of Tommy Robinson, who's a right wing activist and founder of the English Defense League. Now he's jailed right now for 18 months for breaching a court order. Musk this week called for his release from jail on the platform X. And Musk has also talked about making sizable donations to the Reform UK Party, although UK election rules would make that a bit complicated, I will say. British papers have been reporting that right wing politicians in the UK have now been reaching out to President Elect Trump and his people, urging them to distance themselves from any support of Robinson.

[Scott Detrow]

If Musk keeps this up, how different do you think his role in German politics could be compared to the US.

[Rebecca Collard]

So I think the really big difference here is probably how political parties and campaigns can be funded. Estimates say Musk spent something like $250 million to help get Trump elected. Germany is really different. German law forbids any foreign contribution to any political party that exceeds €500. So at the moment, that's about the same amount in dollars. But what I think is really similar is the possible impact of Musk's personal brand and of course also his social media platform X. It's big in the big here in Germany. And I think for Germans, both politicians and regular voters who don't support the AFD or don't agree with Musk's ideas, it's worrying how much impact that could have. You know, when the German president dissolved parliament last month, officially paving the way for these elections in February, he talked about the dangers to German democracy and he specifically mentioned the X platform. And it seems confirmed now that Musk is going to have a conversation with the leader of the AfD, Alice Vital, on his platform. And the expectation is a lot of people will be tuning into that.

[Scott Detrow]

That is reporter Rebecca Collard in Berlin. Thank you so much.

[Rebecca Collard]

You're welcome.

[Scott Detrow]

This episode was produced by Avery Keatley and Elena Burnett. It was edited by Nick Spicer and Adam Rainey. Our executive producer is Sammy Yettigit. Thank you to our CONSIDER THIS plus listeners who support the work of NPR journalists and help keep public radio strong. Supporters also hear every episode without messages from sponsors. You can learn more at + it's consider this from NPR. I'm Scott Detrow.

[Alice Vital]

Want to hear this podcast without sponsor breaks? Amazon prime members can listen to Consider this sponsor free through Amazon Music. Or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get consider this [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.