Bundestag launches probe into Musk's possible influence on parliamentary elections

The Bundestag has launched a probe into the possible illegal influence of American entrepreneur Ilon Musk on the upcoming elections to the German parliament. This was reported by Rheinische Post (RP) on January 9.

It is specified that a planned conversation between Ilon Musk and Alternative for Germany (AdG) chancellor candidate Alice Weidel on his online platform on the X network (formerly Twitter) has raised concerns of the Bundestag administration about a possible attempt to influence the election campaign.

The newspaper also informed about the parliament's plans to check the allegations of possible hidden campaign donations.

At the same time, according to experts, Musk is not violating the European Digital Services Act (DSA), which internet platforms must comply with.

"It would be problematic if Musk used his platform to make certain political voices more visible, for example, by changing the algorithm that displays content to users," emphasized Jan Penfrat, an expert on the regulation of online platforms at the European Digital Human Rights Association.

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Earlier, on January 6, the head of the Sovfed Commission on Information Policy Alexei Pushkov called the future joint live stream of Musk and Weidel a powerful blow to politicians in Germany. The senator drew attention to the fact that the entrepreneur is becoming the main ideologue of the administration of US President-elect Donald Trump.

On the same day, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the American billionaire supports a "new reactionary international" and directly interferes in the elections in Germany. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed out the French leader's double standards because Paris supported the processes of promoting "color revolutions" and the "Arab Spring" that were conducted in X under its previous owners.

Before that, on December 31, 2024, Musk published a post insulting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. At the same time, the American entrepreneur expressed confidence in the victory of the AdG in future parliamentary elections. The billionaire suggested that the party would win a landslide victory because its approval had reached a record level.

Co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Lars Klingbeil said on December 30 that the influence of X in Europe should be limited because Musk is trying to influence the elections in Germany with the help of publications in this social network and an article in the newspaper Welt am Sonntag.