The Prime Minister of Italy, Georgia Meloni, went against a series of European leaders this Thursday, 9th, and stated that billionaire Elon Musk “is not a danger to democracy”. At a press conference, the Italian argued that, instead, there is “interference” in other cases, when “rich people use resources to finance parties and associations on the other side of the world to influence policies, as in the case of Soros”, in mention of businessman George Soros.
Meloni replied: “I would like to remind you of the German interference in the Italian campaign. Musk expresses his position and that’s what we’re talking about. You may like it or not, but when I am told there is a danger of interference, I point out that this is not the first case of well-known and wealthy people expressing their opinions.” Comparing billionaires, Meloni asked: “is the problem that he (Musk) is rich and influential or that he is not left-wing?”
Pressure from European leaders against Elon Musk’s stance has been growing in recent days, as the billionaire, who will be part of the government of President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, signals greater interventions in the region’s politics. The recent controversy was triggered by the programming of a live broadcast on the social network X with the leader of the German AfD party, Alice Weidel, this Thursday.
This week, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of the risks posed by unbridled power in the hands of technology billionaires and the destabilizing impact they could have on democratic institutions. Macron framed Musk’s influence as a challenge to Europe’s democratic values, reinforcing the need for European unity and resilience against external disruption.
