Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday (Jan 8) that the billionaire owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk "openly attacks our institutions" and "stirs up hatred". The statement came during a speech for the start of official commemorations on the 50th anniversary of dictator Francisco Franco's death.

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This came after France called on the European Commission to take a strong stance and safeguard its member states with "the greatest firmness" against interference in political debates, specifically from Musk.

"Either the European Commission applies with the greatest firmness the laws that we have given ourselves to protect our public space, or it does not do so and then it will have to agree to give back the capacity to do so to the EU member states," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio.

This came after several European leaders expressed growing frustration against the tech mogul. The leaders included French President Emmanuel Macron, who said that Musk was "directly intervening in elections".

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also condemned the Tesla CEO for backing an extreme-right party.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store expressed concerns saying that it was "worrying" that someone wealthy and influential was involving themselves in European politics.

Also read: UK PM Keir Starmer slams Elon Musk for spreading 'lies and misinformation'; X boss reacts

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Meloni defends Musk

While most European leaders were lashing out at Musk, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has come out in support of the billionaire.

Calling him a "genius", Meloni said that Musk is a "gifted man" and that he has been unfairly portrayed as a “monster” due to his ties with US President-elect Donald Trump.

“Elon Musk is a gifted man and it is always very interesting to meet him,” Meloni told Corriere Della Sera. “He is a great figure of our times, an extraordinary innovator who has always had his gaze fixed on the future."

“It makes me laugh a bit that there are people who used to praise him as a genius but today depict him as a monster, just because he has chosen the ‘wrong' political camp, as they see it,” she remarked.

(With inputs from agencies)