Elon Musk takes son to meeting with Hungarian president to discuss 'population collapse crisis'
By Rachel Dixon, Multimedia Producer
Elon Musk has taken his son to meet the Hungarian president, as the pair discussed what they think is "the most worrying phenomenon of or time" - the "population collapse crisis".
The billionaire businessman was pictured smiling as he walked with Katalin Novák on Wednesday through a Tesla factory in Austin.
His son, X, is no stranger to meeting top politicians, as he tagged along to meet Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week.
Musk did not shy away from discussing his split with wife and mother of his child, Grimes, in his meeting with the Turkish premier.
But with Erdogan's Hungarian counterpart, something else was on the agenda.
"We talked with Elon Musk about what we can do together to encourage young people to say yes to children," Hungarian President Katalin Novák posted on X, formally Twitter.
"Childlessness is the most worrying phenomenon of our time," she added.
She and Musk have both previously shared their fears about a declining population, with the Space X owner saying it was a "much bigger risk to civilisation than global warming".
Summing up their meeting on Facebook earlier today, Novák said: "Elon Musk - another ally in the families freedom struggle and peace mission.
"Outside Hungary, more and more people see that the demographic ice age, which was welcomed in the west, threatens the end of the world as we know.
"Our country was the first to place the family division at the centre of the demographic struggle.
"We talked with Elon Musk about what we can do together to make young people dare to say yes to children. "Childlessness is the most worrying phenomenon of our age. Elon Musk has become a new ally of us in the fight for freedom of families, who knows and appreciates Hungary's family-centered program.
"We talked for a long time about the war in Ukraine. We agreed that an immediate ceasefire and lasting peace is needed. "I am particularly glad that he understood the problems of Transcarpathian Hungarians as a result of our conversation. "Having children will save the world."
Hungary's population has steadily declined from its peak of 10.7 million in 1980 to 9.71 million today.
Novák, who is the country's first women and youngest ever president, has advocated Hungary family values, to encourage people from the country to have children.
She launched her "12 points of the Hungarian families" ahead of speaking at the UN General Assembly about her country's demographic on Tuesday, September 19.
The values include “appreciation for the elderly” and "every Hungarian child is a gift".
However some of her points have drawn criticism from LGBTQ groups, such as "those born as girls should be allowed to grow up as girls and boys as boys".
"Hungary should not give its consent to anti-family decisions" has also drawn concerns but it is unclear what "anti-family decisions" are.
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