European Parliament Divided Over Elon Musk’s Influence in the EU
MEPs React with a Series of Letters Addressing Digital Influence and Advocating for Musk’s Recognition
In recent days, European Parliament lawmakers have ramped up their response to tech magnate Elon Musk’s latest ventures within the EU, initiating a series of formal communications that reflect both admiration and apprehension.
According to documents seen by Euractiv, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are engaging in a letter-writing campaign that spans from an invitation for Musk to speak at the Parliament, to nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Greek MEP Emmanouil Fragkos, affiliated with the European Conservatives and Reformists, spearheaded one of the initiatives by drafting a letter to Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
The letter, which has garnered the support of 43 MEPs—mainly from right-wing and far-right groups but also including centre-right and socialist members—calls for Musk to participate in a plenary session.
It praises him as a 'trailblazer in the digital revolution' whose insights are crucial for 'revitalising Europe’s productivity' and maintaining global competitiveness.
Contrastingly, concerns over the influence of digital platforms on democratic processes have driven another initiative by Hana Jalloul Muro of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group.
Her letter, sent to EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and endorsed by 45 legislators from left-leaning and green parties, urges an expansion of the EU’s foreign policy and sanctions framework.
The letter advocates the development of mechanisms to combat the potential for foreign entities, including platforms such as Musk’s X, to disrupt electoral integrity within the EU.
Adding another layer to the discourse, Branko Grims, who also signed the Fragkos letter, has put forward Elon Musk's nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the proposal claims Musk’s efforts to 'preserve freedom of speech' through actions on his platform have implications for global peace and development.
Grims argues that Musk’s removal of systemic political censorship tools from X is deserving of this prestigious accolade.
As these debates unfold, attention is turning towards next week’s European Parliament plenary session, during which the topic of Musk may be raised.
The Socialists have proposed a debate titled, 'Elon Musk and the abuse of social media – threats to European democracy.' The decision to include this on the agenda will be made by the Conference of Presidents, the parliament's leading figures, in a discussion involving Henna Virkkunen, Commission vice-president for digital regulation.
This dynamic series of initiatives highlights the divergent views within the European political spectrum on how to handle the far-reaching influence of Musk and his digital enterprises in the region.
_[Edited by Owen Morgan]_
According to documents seen by Euractiv, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are engaging in a letter-writing campaign that spans from an invitation for Musk to speak at the Parliament, to nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Greek MEP Emmanouil Fragkos, affiliated with the European Conservatives and Reformists, spearheaded one of the initiatives by drafting a letter to Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
The letter, which has garnered the support of 43 MEPs—mainly from right-wing and far-right groups but also including centre-right and socialist members—calls for Musk to participate in a plenary session.
It praises him as a 'trailblazer in the digital revolution' whose insights are crucial for 'revitalising Europe’s productivity' and maintaining global competitiveness.
Contrastingly, concerns over the influence of digital platforms on democratic processes have driven another initiative by Hana Jalloul Muro of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group.
Her letter, sent to EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and endorsed by 45 legislators from left-leaning and green parties, urges an expansion of the EU’s foreign policy and sanctions framework.
The letter advocates the development of mechanisms to combat the potential for foreign entities, including platforms such as Musk’s X, to disrupt electoral integrity within the EU.
Adding another layer to the discourse, Branko Grims, who also signed the Fragkos letter, has put forward Elon Musk's nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the proposal claims Musk’s efforts to 'preserve freedom of speech' through actions on his platform have implications for global peace and development.
Grims argues that Musk’s removal of systemic political censorship tools from X is deserving of this prestigious accolade.
As these debates unfold, attention is turning towards next week’s European Parliament plenary session, during which the topic of Musk may be raised.
The Socialists have proposed a debate titled, 'Elon Musk and the abuse of social media – threats to European democracy.' The decision to include this on the agenda will be made by the Conference of Presidents, the parliament's leading figures, in a discussion involving Henna Virkkunen, Commission vice-president for digital regulation.
This dynamic series of initiatives highlights the divergent views within the European political spectrum on how to handle the far-reaching influence of Musk and his digital enterprises in the region.
_[Edited by Owen Morgan]_
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