Éric Zemmour

In Le Premier Sexe and numerous subsequent public appearances, Éric Zemmour developed an essentialist view of relations between the sexes, condemned the "feminisation" of society and associated power with virility. He notably argued that women do not embody power and that values such as peace, compromise or conciliation are feminine.

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Directly implicated

After stating that Philippe Pétain had "saved French Jews", Zemmour was prosecuted for denial of a crime against humanity. Acquitted at first instance and on appeal, he saw the acquittal quashed in 2023 and was convicted by the Paris Court of Appeal on 2 April 2025 and fined €10,000.

Attribution

Accused

For remarks made on CNews in October 2019 during a debate on assisted reproduction and homosexual people, Zemmour was fined €4,000 in September 2023 for homophobic insult.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

On CNews, Zemmour attributed sympathy or "love" for Mohammed Merah, among other things, to MP Danièle Obono. He was convicted in 2024 of complicity in public defamation.

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Established by a court

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Accused

On CNews, Zemmour accused the Institut national d'études démographiques of "fiddling" immigration statistics. The trial court and appeals court found that he had no evidence establishing deliberate falsification.

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Accused

Following Thomas's murder in Crépol, Zemmour made remarks contrasting, in particular, "two peoples, two Frances, two generations of young people". The Paris Criminal Court fined him €9,000 for racial insult on 26 March 2025.

Attribution

Accused

Zemmour was prosecuted by several local authorities after comparing certain French towns to Afghanistan. He was acquitted at first instance and again on appeal.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Nine LGBT associations prosecuted Zemmour for denial of a crime against humanity after he described the deportation of homosexual people from France during the Second World War as a "legend".

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Association L214 filed a complaint against Zemmour following remarks on Face à l'info accusing its activists of comparing butchers and livestock farmers to Nazis.

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Directly implicated

Zemmour was committed for trial before the 17th Criminal Chamber of the Paris court over remarks on CNews attributing most crack dealing to Senegalese people. The alleged offences included incitement to hatred or violence and public insult.

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Documented

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Accused

Teacher Sophie Djigo prosecuted Zemmour and other political figures following a political and media campaign surrounding a teaching project on migration and a school trip to Calais.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Zemmour was convicted in January 2026 of using excerpts from the documentary Le Collège d'à côté for political purposes without authorisation, in an edit considered to take the footage out of context.

Attribution

Accused

A preliminary investigation concerns recurring loans by two private individuals to Reconquête totalling approximately €250,000. The legal question is whether this could constitute habitual lending to a political party.

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Institutional responsibility

Zemmour made the "great replacement" theory central to his political discourse, describing demographic and cultural replacement of the French population through non-European immigration. In March 2022, he proposed a "ministry of remigration" intended, in particular, to expel up to 100,000 foreigners deemed undesirable each year.

State of the evidence

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Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following Alternative für Deutschland's historic victory in the Saxony-Anhalt regional elections, a result causing concern among much of France's political establishment, Éric Zemmour was among the French politicians welcoming the AfD's success.

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Not applicable

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Directly implicated

Discussing the name Hapsatou in 2018, Zemmour stated that presenter Hapsatou Sy's first name was an "insult to France". He was convicted of public insult of a racist nature.

State of the evidence

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Accused

Zemmour's speech at the Convention de la droite in September 2019 triggered prolonged proceedings over passages targeting immigrants and Muslims, among others.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

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Accused

On CNews in 2020, Zemmour described unaccompanied foreign minors as "thieves", "murderers" and "rapists". He was convicted at first instance and on appeal of complicity in public insult and incitement to hatred.

State of the evidence

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Accused

Zemmour accused lawyer Patrick Klugman of seeking to "cover up" the Jérémie Cohen affair. The Paris Criminal Court convicted him of defamation in January 2024.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Accused

The LDH and SOS Racisme prosecuted Zemmour over remarks on Public Sénat in January 2022 linking crime and immigration.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

During "La Grande confrontation" on LCI against Raphaël Glucksmann, Zemmour politically confronted a veiled woman in the audience, portraying her as participating in a project of conquest and civilisational transformation, while repeating his themes of "migratory invasion" and replacement.

State of the evidence

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Attribution

Personally implicated

Reconquête was penalised by the CNIL for transparency shortcomings and incomplete information during data collection through campaign websites. The party received a €20,000 fine. The campaign had also prompted complaints following text messages targeting people identified as Jewish.

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Documented

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

The European election campaign revealed strong tensions between Zemmour and Marion Maréchal over financing, campaign resources and strategy. Following the dissolution of the National Assembly, Maréchal called for support for RN and Éric Ciotti candidates rather than Reconquête's independent line.

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Directly implicated

Zemmour shared "Je partira pas", an AI-generated song with explicitly racist lyrics calling for foreigners to leave or be expelled, on his social media accounts. He subsequently explained that he found it "amusing" and saw it as an expression of exasperation over immigration.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press

Zemmour was definitively convicted in France of incitement to discrimination and religious hatred against the Muslim community following remarks on C à vous in 2016.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Accused

The video announcing Zemmour's presidential candidacy used numerous excerpts from audiovisual works without permission. The Paris Judicial Court convicted Zemmour and Reconquête of copyright infringement and infringement of moral rights.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Accused

The CNCCFP approved Zemmour's presidential campaign accounts following several adjustments and reduced public reimbursement by €200,000. The decision noted, in particular, a prohibited in-kind contribution linked to media promotion before his candidacy, an invoice not paid on time, commercial receipts counted twice and expenditure corrections.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In March 2022, Mediapart published accounts from eight women accusing Éric Zemmour of inappropriate sexual behaviour and, in some cases, alleged sexual assault, mainly in professional settings.

Attribution

Directly implicated

A group of Zemmour campaign activists, organised on Telegram under the name "WikiZédia" and linked to his digital team, coordinated edits to Wikipedia aimed particularly at improving the candidate's image, increasing his visibility and altering historical articles.

State of the evidence

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Not applicable

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

Before the Russian invasion, Zemmour repeatedly expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin and said he did not believe Russia would launch a large-scale offensive against Ukraine. After 24 February 2022, he condemned the invasion but initially preferred Ukrainian refugees to be received in Poland rather than France.

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Personally implicated

Following Reconquête's poor results in the legislative elections, the press reported remarks attributed to Zemmour describing part of the working classes as "illiterate", sparking controversy within the party.

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Personally implicated

Zemmour proposed substantially restricting authorised first names in France by returning to a system inspired by the 1803 law, citing Mohammed as a name that should no longer be permitted for a child.

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Documented

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Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

At the Milipol trade fair, Zemmour handled an unloaded precision rifle, pointed it towards journalists and joked that they should move back. The images triggered considerable political and media controversy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

On the anniversary of the 13 November attacks, Zemmour accused François Hollande of making a "criminal" decision by maintaining immigration policies which, according to Zemmour, had allowed terrorists to enter France.

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Attribution

Personally implicated

At the end of a difficult visit to Marseille, a passer-by gave Zemmour the middle finger, and he responded with the same gesture and added an insult.

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Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated

Zemmour's first major campaign rally in Villepinte was marked by multiple acts of violence: SOS Racisme activists were assaulted after displaying T-shirts reading "No to racism", journalists were threatened and ultranationalist activists were present.

State of the evidence

Documented

In his book and subsequently during his pre-campaign, Zemmour drew a comparison between Mohammed Merah's burial arrangements and those of Jewish victims murdered in Toulouse, asserting in particular that people "belong to the country where they are buried" and describing the victims as "foreigners above all" because they were buried in Israel.

State of the evidence

Documented

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Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

A few weeks before the fortieth anniversary of abolition, Zemmour stated that he did not believe France had been right to abolish the death penalty and that he was "philosophically" in favour of it.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following remarks to Corriere della Sera about Muslims and the possibility of population transfers, Zemmour was convicted at first instance and on appeal.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Cécile Duflot sued Zemmour for defamation following commentary relating to the Denis Baupin affair.

Legal status — source text

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

The CSA issued a formal notice to RTL following Zemmour's remarks on non-discrimination, criticising the broadcaster for failing to challenge or contextualise them sufficiently.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Zemmour was prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred following an RTL commentary referring to foreign gangs or groups. The CSA also issued a warning to RTL.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Patrick Lozès, founder of CRAN, sued Éric Zemmour for defamation over remarks dating from 2008.

Legal status — source text

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Sébastien Selam's family sued Éric Zemmour and his publisher following publication of the novel Petit Frère, inspired by a real murder, alleging, among other things, defamation, invasion of privacy and breach of investigation confidentiality.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Accused