Generally there is a certain balance between politicians and businessmen, based on calculations. Politicians strive to maintain good relations with big businessmen, hoping for their investment and support in elections, while businessmen usually remain neutral so as not to lose access to subsidies and permits that authorities can grant. However, sometimes both sides come into conflict. One of the most striking examples in recent years has been Elon Musk’s public dispute with European politicians, which often played out on the social network X (formerly Twitter), which Musk acquired two years ago.
The Economist writes about this.
Last week, for example, he called German Chancellor Olaf Scholz a “fool” and earlier this year he harshly criticized a European commissioner, telling him to “step back and fuck his face.” In response, other EU representatives called Musk a “subject of evil”, and on November 9 the French Foreign Minister completely ridiculed him, recalling recent missile failures.
At first glance, this may seem like just another reason for jokes on social media. However, the situation takes on a more serious tone, given that Elon Musk has become one of the main technological allies of Donald Trump, who is preparing for the US presidential elections. This creates a unique problem for Europe. Despite Musk’s irritation in the continent’s political circles, Europe already depends on his business, from Tesla electric vehicles that play a key role in decarbonization efforts to Starlink satellites that provide communications in Ukraine and launch satellites when the European rockets fail in the task. If Musk’s influence in the United States grows, it will be extremely difficult for the European Union to impose serious regulations on his companies.
Musk, more than any other tech giant, is Europe’s biggest concern. He is known for his skeptical comments about the continent and even claims that Europe is “dying”, citing migration problems and low birth rates, which is probably an exaggeration. But it is no longer possible to ignore it. Musk is actively involved in international politics, for example, he participated in telephone conversations between Trump and Zelensky, and also communicates with Vladimir Putin. But the main challenge for Europe is the regulation of social media, particularly the new rules introduced under the Digital Services Act (DSA) that force internet giants to moderate content. Musk considers this a form of censorship that is not acceptable in the United States.
It’s worth noting that Europe hasn’t always been at odds with Musk. For example, in August, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton reminded Musk of the rules for combating disinformation as he prepared for an interview with Trump. Musk responded with harsh words. An even more striking example was the reaction of JD Vance, a Trump supporter, who, saying that Europe should respect American values and freedom of expression, threatened the EU with losing US support if it did not make concessions. These events caused Breton to be removed from his position as Commissioner.
Meanwhile, the European Union continues the process with Musk and his company. The EU has already launched an investigation into X for violations of the DSA, which could result in heavy fines. At the same time, the EU is raising tariffs on Chinese-made Tesla cars, but at the same time reducing import duties on Musk’s electric cars.
But even without Musk, Europe faces challenges related to global regulation.
The “Brussels effect”, when European norms become global standards, is already beginning to explode. The EU’s new technology commissioner, Henna Virkkunen, recently said that new laws were not “the answer to everything” and that perhaps the European Union should focus on supporting innovation. Musk himself could have signed this statement.
Recall that “Cursor” wrote that the American billionaire and founder of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, made several ambitious predictions about the future of humanity. In his opinion, in the coming years the world will face important changes caused by the development of technology and changes in global demographics.
