French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot warns of foreign interference in the 2027 French presidential election and accuses Elon Musk of undermining democratic debate

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot warned on Tuesday of attempts at interference that could affect France’s presidential election, scheduled for 2027. In a speech delivered at the conclusion of a conference organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), he accused opponents of democracy of trying to destabilize French society and exploit internal divisions.

Barrot said that immigration, secularism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are being instrumentalized to fuel hatred and tensions. The examples cited included fake accounts created by an Israeli company to provoke artificial disputes, as well as online campaigns attributed to Elon Musk, which the minister said target European leaders and national debates.

The French official also mentioned hostile reports about student demonstrations, which he said originated in Russia, China and Iran, as well as within the MAGA community. The warning comes after Donald Trump criticized the immigration situation in France last week and linked the protests to Islam.

“We will not tolerate any foreign interference, regardless of where it comes from,” Barrot said, emphasizing that protecting elections is a matter of sovereignty.