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🇫🇷 France /Elections & Politics

Musk demands French politician be 'silenced' for 'treason' after X ban call

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Marine Tondelier, leader of the French Ecologists party, called for banning the social media platform X during the presidential campaign, citing its algorithm's impact on disinformation.
  • X owner Elon Musk responded by demanding Tondelier be silenced for alleged treason, a statement she dismissed as undemocratic.
  • The exchange highlights ongoing debates about foreign interference in elections and the role of social media platforms in democratic processes.

Marine Tondelier, the leader of France's Ecologists party, has called for a ban on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, during the upcoming presidential campaign. She argues that X's algorithm significantly contributes to disinformation and constitutes foreign interference in French democracy.

piped

— Marine Tondelierdescribing X's algorithm as contributing to disinformation

Tondelier also criticized the platform's ownership, describing it as belonging to "a person, based in the United States, with a supremacist ideology who clearly wants to bring Europe into total submission to the United States." This statement drew a sharp response from X owner Elon Musk, who publicly demanded that Tondelier be "silenced" for alleged "treason against France."

a person, based in the United States, with a supremacist ideology who clearly wants to bring Europe into total submission to the United States

— Marine Tondelierdescribing X's ownership

Musk, who has previously expressed support for nationalist right-wing politicians in Europe, targeted Tondelier after she advocated for the ban. Tondelier, however, dismissed Musk's accusation, stating that "France does not need to receive lessons in patriotism from a foreign billionaire who believes he can decide which European politicians should be silenced." She asserted that democracy is not for sale, even to the world's richest man.

silenced for treason against France

— Elon Muskdemanding action against Marine Tondelier

The public exchange occurred on X itself, with Tondelier responding to Musk on the platform despite ongoing criticisms of X. While some French politicians have joined a movement to leave the platform, Tondelier has not. The controversy underscores the intense scrutiny social media platforms face regarding their role in political discourse and election integrity.

France does not need to receive lessons in patriotism from a foreign billionaire who believes he can decide which European politicians should be silenced. Democracy is not for sale. Not even to the world's richest man

— Marine Tondelierresponding to Elon Musk's accusations
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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