Spain’s Sanchez says Musk incites hatred and warns of fascism in Europe EU News

Elon Musk has raised alarms across Europe with a series of attacks on the continent’s leaders.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez accused US tech billionaire Elon Musk of leading an “international reactionary movement” and warned that the far right could lead to a resurgence in European politics.

Musk, who is set to take over as an adviser in US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, has sparked anger across Europe in recent weeks with a series of attacks on the continent’s leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and UK Prime Minister Keir. Starmer.

Musk also waded into Spanish affairs on Sunday by commenting on an article that said rape convictions in the Spanish region of Catalonia were mainly carried out by foreigners.

Sanchez, while chairing an event in Madrid to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of fascist dictator Francisco Franco on Wednesday, accused Musk of leading an “international reactionary” movement that “openly attacks our institutions, incites hatred and openly calls for support for the heirs of Nazism in the upcoming elections in Germany.”

“Authoritarian regimes are advancing halfway around the world,” Sanchez said, warning that “the fascism we thought we had left behind is now the third political force in Europe,” adding that the far right is supported by “the richest man on the planet.” In reference to Musk, whose name was not mentioned.

The comments come after Musk gave strong support to the far-right Alternative for Germany party ahead of the country’s snap elections on February 23.

The billionaire also called for and urged Starmer to be sacked He is released from prison Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist in the UK who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court.

EU weighs response

The European Union is grappling with how to respond to Musk’s perceived interference. Some European governments are pressuring the European Commission to use its legal arsenal.

French Foreign Minister Jean said: “Either the European Commission applies as firmly as possible the laws that exist to protect our unique space or it does not, and in that case, it should consider returning the ability to do so to EU member states.” – Noel Barrow told France Inter radio earlier on Wednesday.

The case tests the EU’s willingness to confront Musk head-on and risk antagonizing the incoming Trump administration, as well as the effectiveness of the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates the operations of social media platforms in the EU.

A Commission spokesman said this week that the DSA had previously proven to be an effective tool to combat risks posed by leading social media platforms, and said a political choice had been made not to respond directly to Musk’s tweets and “inflame debate”. Reuters news agency reported.

Last month, Musk described German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as an “incompetent idiot” who should resign after a deadly car-ramming attack in Germany. On Thursday, Musk will use his platform to host a conversation with AfD party leader Alice Weidel.

Schultz responded by calling for calm. “Don’t feed the troll,” he told the German weekly Stern magazine on January 4.

French President Emmanuel Macron took aim at Musk earlier this week.

“Ten years ago, who would have believed it if we were told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world…is directly interfering in elections, including in Germany?” He said.

Musk has also been consistently critical of Starmer and his government in the UK. Recently Because of the child sexual abuse scandal more than a decade ago.

Starmer on Monday criticize “Those who spread lies and misinformation as widely as possible,” he said, without mentioning Musk by name.