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Elon Musk Calls Thierry Breton the "Tyrant of Europe"

Musk criticizes former EU commissioner over remarks on Romanian and German elections, fueling debates on interference and censorship.

Elon Musk Calls Thierry Breton the "Tyrant of Europe" Amid Election Controversy
Elon Musk Calls Thierry Breton the "Tyrant of Europe" Amid Election Controversy

X boss Elon Musk has slammed former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, labeling him a “tyrant of Europe” in an interview in which Breton appeared to back the cancellation of Romania’s presidential election

Last month, Romania’s Constitutional Court overturned the election, citing spy claims—later denied—that a Russian disinformation campaign via TikTok supported front-runner Calin Georgescu. It has since been revealed that the campaign originated from a rival Romanian political party, but the court refused to overturn its decision

In a recent interview with French magazine BFMTV/RMC, Breton suggested that Germany could face similar challenges in the upcoming elections if the Musk-backed Alternative for Germany (AfD) gains significant traction.

“We need to remain calm and abide by European laws so that they do not try to circumvent them, because failure to do so could lead to interference,” Breton said. “This has been done in Romania and should be done in Germany if necessary.”

The remarks, delivered in French, were shared via the Polish account ‘Visegrad24,’ prompting Musk to criticize Breton, calling his stance “staggeringly absurd” and branding him the “tyrant of Europe.”

On Saturday, Breton pushed back against the characterization, claiming he was addressing online censorship through the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and asserting that the EU lacks any mechanism to annul elections. “Lost in translation or just another case of fake news?” he wrote on X.

Breton’s clarification did not address that the so-called “interference” in Romania’s election stemmed from domestic sources, casting doubt on the Constitutional Court's decision.

The controversy follows Musk’s recent interview on X with Alice Weidel, the AfD’s candidate for German Chancellor. Musk has publicly supported her party and encouraged voters to remove current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a move some EU officials have condemned as inappropriate foreign interference.

Previously, while serving as EU Commissioner for Digital Affairs and Internal Markets, Breton threatened Musk with penalties over an anticipated X interview with then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Musk responded by hinting at exposing “secret deals” allegedly offered by the EU in exchange for censorship on X.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen distanced herself from Breton’s actions, claiming he acted independently. Breton resigned in September, citing concerns about the Commission’s governance practices.