Europe is on the warpath against Musk

France wants the European Union (EU) to stand with it against Elon Musk after the world’s richest man waded into European politics with a series of comments on issues ranging from the German elections to a high-profile mass rape case in the United Kingdom.

Paris called for "firmness" from the European Commission, the EU's executive body, through its foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot. He further warned that if the Commission fails to enforce "the laws we have established to protect our public space," member states may be forced to reclaim the authority to do so themselves.

Barrot's remarks are the latest in a series of warnings from senior European officials directed at the owner of X. Just days earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Musk of supporting "a new international reactionary movement" and interfering "directly in elections, including in Germany." On the same day, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, a non-EU leader, voiced concerns about Musk’s potential influence on European affairs, given his "enormous access to social media and vast financial resources."

Pedro Sánchez, Spain's prime minister, was just as outspoken as Macron, accusing the South African businessman of leading a "reactionary international" that "openly attacks our institutions, incites hatred, and openly supports the heirs of Nazism in Germany." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had already rejected Musk’s backing of the opposition Alternative for Germany party, though several local politicians had also been implicated in election interference.

A "striking" silence from the EU

A spokesperson for the European Commission assured that the debate would be reviewed but emphasized that the mere expression of the world's richest man's personal views did not violate any rules.

Both politicians and local media have highlighted the silence of the Commission's Chairwoman, Ursula von der Leyen, and other senior officials such as the vice-president for Technology Sovereignty, Henna Virkkunen.

Some analyses, including one from French media outlet Le Monde, suggest that the "notable" silence may be due to Musk's ties with Donald Trump, with whom officials may want to establish a positive relationship once he assumes office on January 20.

Musk reopens the 'British front'

The criticism from Paris, London, Berlin, and Oslo did little to deter Musk, who on Wednesday once again accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of "hiding terrible things."

Musk once again alluded to the scandal involving grooming gangs, or child molestation and sexual abuse rings, that operated between 1997 and 2013 in the English towns of Rotherham, Rochdale, and Oldham. In a series of posts, he accused Starmer, who was head of the Crown Prosecution Service from 2008 to 2013, of being "deeply complicit" in the mass rapes. Musk also claimed that both the media and authorities had covered up the network, partly out of fear of being accused of racism, as the perpetrators were primarily of Pakistani descent.

The Prime Minister hit back, associating Musk with the "far right" and, when questioned about the tech entrepreneur, condemned "those who are spreading lies and misinformation."

Musk has called for an investigation, while Starmer opposes it. The opposition sides with Musk. This Wednesday, both the Conservative Party and Reform UK put forward amendments to the government's proposed Child Welfare and Schools Bill, which is said to enhance the safety of minors. The opposition, however, views the bill as a smokescreen and has vowed not to support it until an investigation is launched, as Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, explained:

"We are rejecting the Bill because the Home Secretary has not launched a national public inquiry into the rape gangs."

Meloni defends Musk

Giorgia Meloni, one of Musk's European allies, expressed her support for the tycoon. "Elon Musk is a brilliant man and it is always very interesting to talk to him," said the Italian prime minister, in a recent interview with Corriere della Sera.

After describing him as "a great personality of our time," she said it made her "smile quite a bit when those who once hailed Musk as a genius now portray him as a monster simply because he chose the 'wrong' side of the barricade."