French Green leader proposes temporary X ban, Musk retorts with treason threat

Marine Tondelier, the General Secretary of Les Écologistes and the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, proposed a temporary ban on X to protect French elections from external manipulation, citing Russian and far-right influences. The suggestion follows months of internal friction within the New Popular Front coalition, which she helped assemble and now struggles to keep together. In response, X owner Elon Musk posted a tweet demanding that Tondelier be shut down for treason against France.

The exchange sparked criticism from fellow left candidates such as Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who accused Musk of meddling and faulted the French government for insufficient action against foreign interference. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot dismissed Mélenchon’s remarks, while Green MP Sandrine Rousseau described the coalition as being on “life support.” The debate highlights tensions between French political actors and the platform’s role in national discourse.