Minister defends debating the 'great replacement' theory as free speech

In a France-Info interview, discrimination minister Aurore Bergé argued that the so-called 'great replacement' theory, though false and fear-driving, must remain open to debate as a matter of political freedom and free speech. She warned that labeling it merely as racist would suppress discussion and potentially strengthen extremist narratives. The comments followed a previous appearance on CNews where she declined to call the theory racist, describing it as a false depiction of French reality.

Lawmakers from the left, including Bastien Lachaud and Benjamin Lucas, condemned the remarks as a political and moral decline, while centrist voices like Prisca Thevenot stressed that racism is a crime and the theory fuels terrorism. The UN's high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, has warned that the theory directly encourages violent acts, citing its influence on the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks. The debate highlights tensions between free-speech arguments and efforts to curb hate-filled conspiracy theories in France.