Elon Musk has slammed Germany’s justice system, accusing it of being a “two-tier” system, amid growing tensions between him and European Union officials.
Musk was commenting on a decision by the Cologne prosecutor’s office not to pursue charges against former Eintracht Frankfurt football club president Peter Fischer. Fischer had called for violence against the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, saying their supporters were “Nazis” and suggesting people should “run down their doors and gates” and “slap them.”
Despite this clear incitement, prosecutors argued Fischer’s words were figurative, not serious. Critics pointed out that Germans have been arrested for far less, like insulting politicians on social media. Musk, siding with the critics, shared a post accusing the prosecutors of ignoring speech that could incite violence against AfD voters, labeling it “another case of two-tier justice.” His post has since gone viral, with over 6.8 million views.
Musk’s growing vocal stance on EU matters has drawn ire, especially from former EU officials. Thierry Breton, former EU Internal Market Commissioner, called Musk’s comments “interference,” a term he explained in French. This sparked a lively debate, with some defending Musk’s right to comment, with one user reminding Breton of the consequences if Europe hadn’t been interfered with during WWII.
In response to the rising tensions, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opened an account on the rival platform BlueSky, as many of her colleagues continue to distance themselves from X.
