EU X Ban Urged by French Green Party Leader “`

Marine Tondelier, leader of France’s Green party, argues that social media presents a significant threat to democratic systems.

Marine Tondelier, secretary-general of The Ecologists – Europe Ecology The Greens, is advocating for a ban on X (formerly Twitter) within the European Union, particularly during election periods. She contends that the platform unduly influences public opinion, jeopardizing democratic processes.

During an appearance on RTL’s Le Grand Jury, Tondelier voiced concerns about social media’s impact on elections, highlighting the strained relationship between X’s owner, Elon Musk, and EU officials who accuse him of political interference.

“This isn’t about free speech; it’s about manipulating public opinion,” she stated. Tondelier criticized the growing concentration of media power, alleging that extremely wealthy individuals are attempting to leverage their wealth to gain political influence.

“Social media must be factored into this equation. It shapes opinion, impacts reality, and affects election outcomes,” she explained. “This poses a serious danger to our democracies,” she added, proposing an X ban during crucial periods like elections.

“X isn’t just irritating; it’s dangerous. Leaving the platform isn’t enough; it needs to be banned,” she wrote on X itself.

Tondelier urged her fellow members of the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF) coalition to switch to alternative platforms.

“I’m leaving, but what about everyone else? Its impact on reality will remain, continuing to destabilize upcoming elections,” she commented.

Musk sparked outrage by declaring that “only the AfD can save Germany,” a statement met with condemnation from EU officials as unacceptable foreign interference. This followed his op-ed in Welt am Sonntag defending the right-wing party’s policies. Last week, he interviewed Alice Weidel, the AfD’s chancellor candidate, on X.

Musk also clashed with former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, calling him “the tyrant of Europe,” after Breton seemingly supported the cancellation of Romania’s presidential elections, citing concerns about foreign interference in the upcoming German elections. Breton clarified his remarks were about enforcing the EU’s Digital Services Act.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot recently expressed similar concerns about Musk’s influence, urging the European Commission to take stronger action against alleged foreign interference.

The South African tech mogul also recently criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of mishandling the Pakistani grooming gang issue and failing to properly investigate the mass rape of underage girls during his time as head of the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service. He also called on Washington to intervene and “liberate” the British from their “tyrannical government.”