'Mini-Musks' Channel Tech Titan In EU Parliament
Fidias Panayiotou, a Cypriot YouTuber-turned-lawmaker who snatched his 15 minutes of fame by hugging Elon Musk, is doubtless the tech titan's biggest fan in the European Parliament -- but far from the only one.
Lawmakers across the EU spectrum have voiced outrage at Musk's stance towards the bloc -- from his incendiary backing for the German far right, to his outbursts over alleged censorship by Brussels regulators.
The X owner and Donald Trump ally is the unspoken target of a headline parliament debate next week on enforcing EU rules to "protect democracy on social media" against "foreign interference".
But at the same time dozens of EU lawmakers, most but not all from the hard right, are cheering on the billionaire even as he trains his fire on Brussels.
Among his fans are a handful of "mini-Musks", as one insider dubs them: anti-establishment lawmakers prone to racking up followers, and stirring controversy, on social media.
The hoodie-wearing prankster Panayiotou made a name online by collecting hugs with celebrities, including one with Musk -- snagged after spending months camped outside his offices in Texas.
"I agree with him on free........
© International Business Times
