A debate between Elon Musk and Alice Weidel, the leader of the German far-right party AfD, will be streamed on X, but the European Commission will monitor for any potential preferential treatment, it warned on Monday.
Elon Musk, a key advisor to Donald Trump and owner of X, is scheduled to speak with Alice Weidel on Thursday, 9 January. Weidel is a candidate for Chancellor in Germany’s upcoming snap elections on 23 February.
Musk's actions in support of the German far-right is leading to growing concern of foreign interference in European politics.
This is not Musk’s first involvement in the German electoral campaign. In late December, he penned an op-ed in Die Welt claiming the AfD is "the only party capable of saving the country from destruction."
The European Commission stated on Monday that it is analysing the situation under the European Digital Services Act (DSA).
The DSA requires digital platforms like X to assess and mitigate risks in various areas, including electoral processes and civic discourse.
Platforms must ensure that preferential treatment, such as boosting content visibility through algorithms, does not harm the electoral process. This applies to content posted by Elon Musk on his own platform, the Commission noted.
"The DSA does not censor content. You are free to express your views. But there are limits, especially when a platform is used for this purpose," said a spokesperson. He added that the debate has not occurred yet and nothing prohibits it.
The situation is "unprecedented", he further mentioned, as digital platforms do not have the same obligations as traditional media, which must provide equal opportunities to all political parties during elections.
The European executive had initiated a formal procedure against X at the end of 2023 for violations of the DSA, including the alleged failure to limit risks related to electoral processes.
On 24 January, the Commission will host a roundtable with the German digital services coordination agency, civil society, and major platforms (including X) in relation to the elections.
