Eric Zemmour’s Hate Speech Convictions Upheld, Judicial Setbacks Mount for Far-Right Politician
French far-right politician Eric Zemmour suffered a major legal blow on Tuesday, as the Court of Cassation rejected his final appeals, making his convictions for hate speech and defamation definitive. The rulings uphold earlier decisions that found him guilty for inflammatory remarks targeting unaccompanied migrant minors and defamatory statements against a lawyer in a separate case.
Zemmour, founder and president of the Reconquête party, was “rightly” convicted of complicity in public insult and incitement to hatred over statements he made on CNews in 2020, describing unaccompanied migrant minors as “thieves,” “murderers,” and “rapists.” He was ordered to pay €10,000 ($11,637) in fines. The court emphasized that his comments “exceeded the permissible limits of freedom of expression due to their violence and generality,” and could not be justified even amid debates on immigration policy.
Under French press law, CNews’ editor-in-chief at the time, Jean-Christophe Thiery de Bercegol du Moulin, was fined €3,000, while the channel itself previously faced a €200,000 fine upheld by the Conseil d’État. The European Court of Human Rights dismissed the broadcaster’s challenge in January 2025.
These judicial setbacks highlight Zemmour’s repeated clashes with courts and media regulators, raising questions about his credibility as he continues to pursue influence ahead of France’s 2027 presidential race. His hardline anti-immigration rhetoric and history of controversial statements have left him increasingly isolated in the legal and political arenas.
