Elon Musk’s political manoeuvring sparks concerns over far-right rise in Europe, influence over young men

He demanded new elections in Britain, promoted Germany's far-right, blasted the European Commission — and that's just the start. Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV News that Musk's comments were “misjudged and certainly misinformed.” But, he swiftly added, “we're willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue.” “As 2025 begins, Musk is no longer a jaundiced commentator on British politics but a power player within it,” political commentator Patrick Maguire wrote in The Times on Friday. Musk is also an enthusiastic supporter of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the country's most right-wing leader since 1945, who calls him a “genius.” Politics and business Musk's political initiatives are intimately linked to his economic interests, experts suggest. For Musk and Trump, “democracy, debate, disagreement, state welfare systems all get in the way of business,” said Ilan Kapoor, a professor at Toronto's York University known for his critical research on neo-liberalism. In December, researchers from the European Council on Foreign Relations warned that Musk could use X “to mobilize citizens and far-right parties to raise the political cost for EU decision-makers pursuing the crackdown.”