In a startling display of digital-age political maneuvering, Elon Musk, the tech mogul behind X (formerly Twitter), recently hosted a conversation with Alice Weidel, the co-leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

This seemingly innocuous chat has sent shockwaves through the German political landscape, raising alarm bells about foreign interference and the erosion of democratic norms.

What transpired was not a robust political debate, but rather a troubling echo chamber of unchallenged falsehoods.

Weidel, with Musk's tacit approval and active contribution, spread a litany of misinformation about immigration, Adolf Hitler and the AfD party itself, which is classified as a suspected right-wing extremist organisation by Germany's domestic intelligence agency.

Musk's support for the AfD is not an isolated case, but an example of his growing involvement in European political affairs. His actions have extended beyond Germany:

In France, President Emmanuel Macron accused Musk of backing a "new international reactionary movement." In Italy, Musk has engaged in discussions with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, offering support for her anti-immigration stance.

In Britain, which is no longer a member of the European Union, Musk asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down and showed UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage how quickly his personal support could end.

Financial motivations

As the owner of multiple businesses, Musk has a fiscal motivation to meddle in European politics. For example, he has consistently railed against the Digital Services Act (DSA), which can be considered a landmark EU regulation aimed at creating a safer and more transparent digital........

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