Elon Musk Endorses Fidias Panayiotou for EU President in Viral X Retweet

Nicosia, Cyprus Tech billionaire Elon Musk has thrown his support behind Cypriot Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Fidias Panayiotou, urging his millions of followers on X (formerly Twitter) to vote for the young politician as the next President of the European Union.

Musk retweeted a recent video posted by Panayiotou, in which the independent MEP explained why he believes the current EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, is not truly democratically elected. 0 In the clip, Panayiotou argued: "I want the head of the European Union, who is now Ursula von der Leyen, to be elected democratically because that doesn't happen now. She comes to the European Parliament, we say 'yes' or 'no,' but I think it's more of a show than a vote because she made deals with all the political parties beforehand to vote for her, so it's not democratic at all. So we need to change it."

Accompanying the retweet, Musk simply stated: "Fidias for President of the EU!" This marks the latest in a series of endorsements from Musk, who has previously described Panayiotou as "smart, super high energy, and genuinely cares about you." 6 Other posts from Musk have called Panayiotou a "good man" who "cares about the people," 2 "worth listening to," 4 and someone with "incredible drive & determination." 17

Panayiotou, a 24-year-old former YouTuber known for viral challenges and content creation, was elected as an independent MEP in June 2024, representing Cyprus without affiliation to any political group. He has gained attention for his unconventional approach to politics, focusing on transparency, free speech, and reforming EU institutions.

Musk's endorsement has amplified Panayiotou's message, with the retweet garnering over 9 million views, 55,000 likes, and thousands of reposts within hours. 0 The video itself, posted by Panayiotou on December 12, has reached nearly 10 million views. 1

While the EU Commission President is not directly elected by popular vote but appointed through a process involving EU leaders and parliamentary approval, Panayiotou's call for reform resonates with critics of the current system. Musk's involvement highlights his growing interest in European politics, following previous comments on issues like free speech and regulatory overreach.

Neither Musk nor Panayiotou has elaborated further on the endorsement, but it has sparked widespread discussion online about potential changes to EU leadership selection. Panayiotou's office has not yet responded to requests for comment on his potential candidacy.