Elon Musk nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2025 for free speech advocacy

Elon Musk has been nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for his stance on free speech. Slovenian Member of the European Parliament, Branko Grims, put his name forward, pointing to Musk’s efforts to remove censorship and encourage open discussions on his platform.

This follows a previous nomination in early 2024 by Norwegian MP Marius Nilsen, who also praised Musk’s commitment to protecting free speech.

Grims, a Slovenian MEP from the Popular Party, sent a letter to fellow European Parliament members, asking them to support Musk’s nomination. He addressed the appeal to all 720 members of the chamber, emphasizing the billionaire’s influence in defending free expression.

In his letter, Grims highlights what he calls the “extraordinary, global, and positive impact” of Musk’s decision to block any attempt at political censorship on X. He adds, “I systematically reject all pressure for public authorities or anyone else to interfere with the freedom of expression of differing opinions and the dissemination of ideas and beliefs, regardless of national borders.” He describes Musk as a “defender of free speech.”

In a post on X, Grims said,

“The proposal that Mr. Elon Musk, for his consistent support for the fundamental human right of freedom of speech and thus for peace, receives the Nobel Peace Prize 2025, was successfully submitted today. Sincere thanks to all the co-proposers and everyone who helped with this challenging project!”

The proposal that Mr. Elon Musk, for his consistent support for the fundamental human right of freedom of speech and thus for peace, receives the Nobel Peace Prize 2025, was successfully submitted today. Sincere thanks to all the co-proposers and everyone who helped with this… pic.twitter.com/QdI4fnbzdU

— Branko Grims (@BrankoGrimsX1) January 29, 2025

The push for his nomination comes as Musk faces scrutiny over his reported influence on the Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate through endorsements on his social media platform. The European Commission is looking into whether X’s algorithms played a role in boosting the candidate’s campaign and has reviewed last week’s interview under the Digital Services Act.

This isn’t the first time Musk’s name has been put forward for recognition by European Parliament members. Last fall, the far-right Patriots group, which includes Spain’s Vox party, backed him for the Sakharov Prize, an award given by the European Parliament.

Nobel Peace Prize nominations are typically kept private by the Nobel Committee, though nominators can choose to make them public. A nomination does not mean the nominee will make the shortlist or win the award.

Musk bought Twitter (now known as X) in April 2022 for $44 billion in cash to protect free speech around the world.

“I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy,” Musk said.