Presidential candidate Marine Tondelier wants to tackle political disinformation head-on. The leader of the Green Party and candidate for the 2027 presidential election is proposing the adoption of a law to sanction politicians who knowingly spread false information. She advocates for the creation of a "robust legislative framework" designed to preserve the quality of public debate, with penalties that could include ineligibility for public office.
To justify this proposal, Marine Tondelier relies in particular on statements made by Horizons Senator Vincent Louault on the investigative program "Complément d'enquête." When questioned about the debates surrounding acetamiprid, a pesticide at the heart of the controversies linked to the Duplomb law, the elected official admitted to having shared "fake news," while explaining that simple messages are more easily understood by the public. For the Green Party candidate, this example illustrates the abuses that new legislation could seek to regulate.
A Welsh model for regulating candidates' statements
Marine Tondelier is looking in particular to Wales, where Parliament has adopted legislation targeting lies told by candidates during parliamentary elections. The legislation, which is not due to come into effect before 2030, includes particularly strict mechanisms, potentially leading to the recall of elected officials. The Green Party leader hopes to draw inspiration from this experience to develop a French system, while adapting it to the national context.
The proposal nevertheless raises a central question: who would decide whether a political leader has lied? Marine Tondelier emphasizes the "deliberate" nature of the statements in question and insists she does not want to establish a "Ministry of Truth." But distinguishing between an error, an approximation, a political interpretation, and a deliberately false statement would be a legally and politically sensitive exercise. With 2027 approaching, her idea could therefore quickly become a major topic in the debate on the rules governing political speech.
