Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni claimed that Elon Musk's political interference has caused outrage because he is not a left-winger. She explained that foreigners have been meddling in Italian politics for years.
Meloni, leader of the Italian Brothers party, said Musk was exercising his right of free speech. Instead, she accused influential people on the left of political interference, including billionaire financier and philanthropist George Soros.
Musk, who will be given a role in the administration of future US President Donald Trump, has sparked fury across Europe with a series of attacks on the continent's leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, AFP reported.
The Italian prime minister rejected the suggestion that the billionaire's comments on his social network X constituted "dangerous interference".
"The problem is when rich people use their resources to fund parties, associations and political figures around the world to influence the political choices of nation states. Musk is not doing that. Elon Musk is funding an election campaign in his own country, by his own candidate, in a system where, by the way, I want to point out that this is quite common," Meloni insisted.
"But I am not aware of Elon Musk funding parties, associations or political representatives around the world. That's what George Soros does, for example. And yes, I consider this a dangerous interference in the affairs of nation states and in their sovereignty," she added.
Reviled by conservatives and often the target of anti-Semitic conspiracies, Soros used his wealth amassed as a financier in the 1970s and 1980s to set up the Open Society Foundations. It supports a wide range of causes and NGOs around the world, ranging from good governance and democracy-building programs to liberal public policy initiatives.
Soros was a major donor during the U.S. election, but does not own a social network and does not hold a position in government. | BGNES
