German political parties including the Greens, SPD, and Die Linke have left Elon Musk’s platform X, citing growing disinformation and chaos, and the move, under the hashtag #WirVerlassenX, comes as Musk continues to redefine the platform’s policies since acquiring Twitter in 2022. According to Tagesspiegel, the parties stated in identical posts on X that ‘X is in the last few years in chaos’ and that the platform increasingly promotes misinformation. They emphasized that political debates rely on meaningful exchange, while X undermines this principle.

Parties Maintain Presence on Other Platforms

While the parties have ceased activity on X, they remain active on other platforms. The Greens, for instance, have redirected users to the alternative platform BlueSky, according to Tagesspiegel. The decision was made in a coordinated effort, with both official party accounts and personal accounts of leading members affected. The move reflects broader concerns about the evolving communication culture on X, as noted by T-Online.

Elon Musk’s Financial Incentives and Ambitions

Meanwhile, Musk’s financial incentives at SpaceX remain substantial. According to Xataka, Musk is eligible for 200 million restricted stock units with super-voting rights if SpaceX achieves a market value of $7.5 trillion and establishes a Martian colony with at least one million people. This potential reward would significantly increase his influence over the company’s decisions. Despite these goals, Musk currently earns a symbolic salary of $54,080 per year, a figure that is far lower than typical CEO compensation but is offset by his control through stock options and voting power.

X and Musk’s Influence on Public Discourse

X has faced increasing scrutiny since Musk took over the platform in October 2022. According to T-Online, Musk has rolled back safety mechanisms designed to combat misinformation, a move he has justified as necessary for free speech. The platform has seen a decline in user trust, with many companies and politicians leaving X. Some, like the CDU, remain on the platform but have expressed concerns about its role as a forum for radical and aggressive speech.

On X, Musk has also engaged in public discussions about his net worth, responding to Peter H. Diamandis of XPrize by stating, ‘Ten trillion or failure,’ according to Cryptopolitan. Diamandis compared Musk to John D. Rockefeller, noting that while Rockefeller owned oil, Musk ‘owns the future.’ This highlights the growing influence of Musk, whose wealth is now estimated to exceed $80 billion, surpassing 2.7% of the U.S. GDP.