France urges European Commission to be firm against Musk interference

France urges EU to protect against Elon Musk's political interference, threatening to ban his social media platform.

France on Wednesday (January 8, 2025) urged the European Commission to protect its member states with "the greatest firmness" against interference in political debate particularly from the billionaire owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk.

"Either the European Commission applies with the greatest firmness the laws that we have given ourselves to protect our public space, or it does not do so and then it will have to agree to give back the capacity to do so to the EU member states," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio.

"We have to wake up," he said.

Asked whether X could be banned in Europe, Mr. Barrot replied that such a mechanism to close a platform "is laid out in our laws".

Mr. Musk, who has secured unprecedented influence thanks to his proximity to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, is set for a role in Mr. Trump's administration.

He has provoked fury across Europe with a string of attacks on the continent's leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"When you take part in a government or aspire to take part in one, your opinions have a rather special value," Mr. Barrot said.