Elon Musk. Photo credit: Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO/AP/Profimedia
American technology magnate Elon Musk on Wednesday launched a criticism of European democracy and the head of the European Commission, writes Politico.
“If democracy is the foundation of freedom, surely your position as EU leader should be chosen directly by the people, right?” Musk said in a question addressed to Ursula von der Leyen and published on the social media platform X, which he owns.
In another post, the Tesla and SpaceX boss added that the “leader of the EU” should be “elected by the people” from within the EU bloc and “not appointed by a committee”.
If democracy is the foundation of freedom, surely your position as leader of the EU should be elected directly by the people?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 12, 2025
Musk reacted this way after Ursula von der Leyen presented the Shield of European Democracy, a new strategy to intensify the fight against foreign online interference, including in elections.
“Democracy is the foundation of our freedom. Democracy is the foundation of our prosperity. Democracy is the foundation of our security,” von der Leyen wrote in a message on social media.
The German politician floated the Democracy Shield idea in a campaign speech at last year's Copenhagen Democracy Summit as he sought a new term as Commission president ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections.
The President of the Commission – the head of the EU executive, although not literally the “leader of the EU” – is proposed and voted for by the European Council, made up of the EU's 27 heads of state and government, for a five-year term. The proposed candidate must also obtain the vote of the members of the European Parliament.
After gaining the necessary support last year, von der Leyen survived three no-confidence motions submitted by some factions in the European Parliament in July and October this year.
The centerpiece of the Democracy Shield strategy is the European Center for Democratic Resilience, which draws on the expertise of current EU member states and those aspiring to join in combating disinformation.
Other elements include guidance on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in elections or the use of influencers to help people understand EU rules such as regulations on online content or political advertising.
Musk, who played a brief but highly significant role earlier this year as an adviser to US President Donald Trump after staunchly supporting him throughout the 2024 election campaign, has often used his platform to amplify controversial views on democracy, free speech and political leadership around the world.
