Éric Zemmour calls his convictions for racial insult and incitement to hatred opinion offenses; TF1 anchor replies that racism is not an opinion
Announcing his 2027 presidential run on TF1, Éric Zemmour said his convictions for racial insult and incitement to hatred were for an opinion offense under a law he would abolish. Anchor Gilles Bouleau answered that racism is not an opinion.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Zemmour, a former journalist and television commentator, finished fourth in the 2022 presidential election with 7.07 percent of the vote. He has been prosecuted many times over his public remarks. In 2025 the Court of Cassation, France's highest court for civil and criminal cases, made three of his convictions final: on September 2 for racist insult over a 2018 remark to television columnist Hapsatou Sy; on September 16 for provocation to racial hatred and racist insult over a 2019 speech at the Convention de la droite, which carried a 15,000 euro fine; and on December 2 for complicity in public insult and provocation to hatred over 2020 remarks on CNews about unaccompanied migrant minors, which carried a 10,000 euro fine. In the December ruling, the court said the appeals court was right to find that those remarks went beyond the admissible limits of freedom of expression because of their violence and generality. Shortly before Zemmour's announcement, France's broadcasting regulator, Arcom, referred to the judicial authorities new remarks he made on several channels after the October 17 protests, which it considered calls for discrimination.
People in this case
- Éric ZemmourDirectly involved
Gilles BouleauDirectly involved
Timeline
7 timeline entries on this page. Dates: September 2, 2025 to November 11, 2026
September 2025
Court of Cassation upholds Zemmour's conviction for racist insult over remark to Hapsatou Sy
France's Court of Cassation upholds Zemmour's conviction for racist insult over his 2018 television remark that columnist Hapsatou Sy's first name was an insult to France, making it final.
[01]Racisme : Éric Zemmour condamné pour la deuxième fois en deux semaines
L'Humanité reports the Court of Cassation's September 16, 2025 ruling on the Convention de la droite speech and its September 2 ruling upholding Zemmour's conviction for racist insult over a 2018 remark to Hapsatou Sy.
Court of Cassation makes final Zemmour's conviction over his 2019 Convention de la droite speech
The Court of Cassation rejects Zemmour's appeal against the Paris appeals court's February 2024 ruling, which convicted him of provocation to racial hatred and racist insult over a 2019 speech at the Convention de la droite and fined him 15,000 euros.
[02]Éric Zemmour définitivement condamné pour des propos racistes en 2019
franceinfo reports that the Court of Cassation on September 16, 2025 rejected Zemmour's appeal against his conviction for provocation to racial hatred and racist insult over a 2019 speech at the Convention de la droite.
[01]Racisme : Éric Zemmour condamné pour la deuxième fois en deux semaines
L'Humanité reports the Court of Cassation's September 16, 2025 ruling on the Convention de la droite speech and its September 2 ruling upholding Zemmour's conviction for racist insult over a 2018 remark to Hapsatou Sy.
December 2025
Court of Cassation makes final Zemmour's conviction over 2020 remarks on unaccompanied minors
The Court of Cassation rejects Zemmour's appeal against his September 2024 conviction for complicity in public insult and provocation to hatred over 2020 CNews remarks on unaccompanied migrant minors, which carried a 10,000 euro fine.
[03]Eric Zemmour définitivement condamné pour complicité de provocation à la haine, après ses propos sur des mineurs isolés
franceinfo reports, with AFP, that the Court of Cassation rejected Zemmour's appeal against his conviction over his 2020 CNews remarks on unaccompanied migrant minors, making it final.
November 2026
Fabien Roussel calls for ineligibility for politicians convicted of racism
Reaction
As Zemmour announces his candidacy, Communist candidate Fabien Roussel posts that Zemmour has been convicted several times for racist remarks and that politicians convicted of racism should be made ineligible.
[04]Fabien Roussel
Roussel's post on X as Zemmour announced his candidacy, calling for politicians convicted of racism to be made ineligible.
Fabien Roussel's post on X about Éric Zemmour's candidacy · Fabien RousselPost on X, November 10, 2026, 8:36 p.m. CET[05]Fabien Roussel
The second post of Roussel's thread on Zemmour's candidacy, linking to a French Communist Party petition for the ineligibility of people convicted of racism.
Fabien Roussel's follow-up post on X linking to a petition on ineligibility for racism convictions · Fabien RousselPost on X, November 10, 2026, 8:36 p.m. CET, second post of a two-post threadZemmour announces his candidacy on TF1 and calls his convictions an opinion offense
Claim
On TF1's evening news, Zemmour announces his 2027 presidential run. Anchor Gilles Bouleau cites four final convictions since 2022 for offenses with a racial dimension; Zemmour calls the proceedings judicial harassment and his offense one of opinion, and Bouleau replies that racism is not an opinion.
[06]TF1Info's clip of Gilles Bouleau questioning Éric Zemmour about his convictions on Le 20H
TF1's news account posts a video excerpt of the November 10 evening news interview in which anchor Gilles Bouleau asks Éric Zemmour about his convictions, with TF1's French transcription of the exchange.
TF1Info's clip of Gilles Bouleau questioning Éric Zemmour about his convictions on Le 20HPost on X, November 10, 2026, 9:45 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 52 second excerpt of TF1's Le 20H[07]Agence France-Presse
AFP reports, in French, Zemmour's candidacy announcement on TF1, his description of his convictions as opinion offenses and judicial harassment, the broadcasting regulator's recent referral of his remarks to the judicial authorities, and Fabien Roussel's reaction.
Éric Zemmour officialise sa candidature à la présidentielle 2027 · Agence France-PresseFull AFP dispatch, as published by Sud Radio[08]Présidentielle 2027 : Éric Zemmour officialise sa candidature au 20H de TF1
TF1 Info's live coverage of Zemmour's interview on Le 20H, including an entry on his four final convictions and his description of judicial harassment.
Présidentielle 2027 : Éric Zemmour officialise sa candidature au 20H de TF1Live coverage of the interview, entry posted at 8:57 p.m. CETZemmour repeats on X that he is prosecuted for an opinion offense
Claim
After the broadcast, Zemmour posts a clip of the exchange on X and writes that he is prosecuted for an opinion offense under a law he would abolish as president.
[09]Éric Zemmour
Zemmour's post on X after his TF1 interview. He says he has faced about 40 proceedings, has been acquitted 30 times in 10 years and is prosecuted for an opinion offense under a law he would abolish as president.
Éric Zemmour's post on X about his convictions and the law he would abolish · Éric ZemmourPost on X, November 10, 2026, 10:19 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 30 second excerpt of his TF1 interviewSOS Racisme president calls Zemmour's candidacy a republican problem
Reaction
On RTL, Dominique Sopo says Zemmour's candidacy poses a republican problem, recalls his convictions and calls for allowing judges to impose ineligibility on people convicted of racist remarks.
[10]"Ces propos autorisent des passages à l'acte" : le président de SOS Racisme juge sur RTL que la candidature d'Éric Zemmour, condamné pour racisme, pose "un problème républicain"
RTL reports, in French, Dominique Sopo's interview on RTL Matin the morning after Zemmour's announcement, including his comments on Zemmour's convictions, on ineligibility for people convicted of racist remarks and on the racist attack in Trappes.
"Ces propos autorisent des passages à l'acte" : le président de SOS Racisme juge sur RTL que la candidature d'Éric Zemmour, condamné pour racisme, pose "un problème républicain"Article on the RTL Matin interview of November 11, 2026[11]RTL's clip of Dominique Sopo on RTL Matin
RTL's post on X with a video excerpt of Dominique Sopo's November 11 interview on RTL Matin about Zemmour's candidacy and convictions.
RTL's clip of Dominique Sopo on RTL MatinPost on X, November 11, 2026, 7:54 a.m. CET, with a 2 minute 7 second excerpt of the interview
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Éric Zemmour's convictions for racial insult and incitement to hatred are for opinion offenses, not racism, under a law that lets judges restrict freedom of expression.
What is disputed
TF1 anchor Gilles Bouleau answered on air that racism is not an opinion. When the Court of Cassation made final Zemmour's conviction over his 2020 remarks on unaccompanied migrant minors, it said the appeals court was right to find that the remarks went beyond the admissible limits of freedom of expression because of their violence and generality. Zemmour says he would abolish the law if elected president.
Sources (4)
- Éric Zemmour's post on X about his convictions and the law he would abolish · Éric ZemmourPost on X, November 10, 2026, 10:19 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 30 second excerpt of his TF1 interview
- TF1Info's clip of Gilles Bouleau questioning Éric Zemmour about his convictions on Le 20HPost on X, November 10, 2026, 9:45 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 52 second excerpt of TF1's Le 20H
- Éric Zemmour officialise sa candidature à la présidentielle 2027 · Agence France-PresseFull AFP dispatch, as published by Sud Radio
Disputed claim
Since 2022, Éric Zemmour has been definitively convicted four times for offenses with a racial dimension, including racist insult and incitement to hatred.
What is disputed
Zemmour did not contest the count on air. He said he had also been acquitted 30 times in 10 years and had faced about 40 proceedings in a few years. Reporting we reviewed documents three convictions of this kind that the Court of Cassation made final in 2025, on September 2, September 16 and December 2. We could not confirm which ruling completes the count of four.
Sources (5)
- TF1Info's clip of Gilles Bouleau questioning Éric Zemmour about his convictions on Le 20HPost on X, November 10, 2026, 9:45 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 52 second excerpt of TF1's Le 20H
- Présidentielle 2027 : Éric Zemmour officialise sa candidature au 20H de TF1Live coverage of the interview, entry posted at 8:57 p.m. CET
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 matching responses. Newest first.
Éric ZemmourPresident of Reconquête and presidential candidate, interviewed on TF1's Le 20HDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Bouleau opens the interview by saying Zemmour has been definitively convicted four times since 2022 for offenses with a racial dimension and asks how he can reconcile the French on that basis. Zemmour says he has also been acquitted many times and cites about 40 proceedings in a few years. After Bouleau calls the convictions the application of the law, Zemmour says he has not stolen from anyone or diverted public money and has committed an opinion offense, and Bouleau replies that racism is not an opinion.
"I am the victim of judicial harassment ... This is not racism, it has nothing to do with it. That is how judges interpret a freedom-killing law that I will abolish if I am president, because it allows judges to ban freedom of expression (Translated from French. Original: Je suis victime d'un harcèlement judiciaire ... Ce n'est pas du racisme, ça n'a rien à voir. Les juges interprètent ainsi une loi liberticide que j'abolirai si je suis président, parce que ça permet aux juges d'interdire la liberté d'expression)"
Defended or excusedResponding to: Éric Zemmour's convictions for racial insult and incitement to hatred are for opinion offenses, not racism, under a law that lets judges restrict freedom of expression.
Full statement and sources
Asked on TF1's evening news about his convictions, Zemmour says he is the victim of judicial harassment and has committed an opinion offense. After anchor Gilles Bouleau replies that racism is not an opinion, Zemmour says his remarks are not racism and that, as president, he would abolish the law judges apply to convict him.
After the statement
Bouleau then asks whether saying that Muslims consider jihadists to be good Muslims is not racist, noting that Zemmour was convicted for that remark. Zemmour says Muslims are not a race, that jihad is in the Quran and that the remark has nothing racist about it.
TF1Info's clip of Gilles Bouleau questioning Éric Zemmour about his convictions on Le 20HPost on X, November 10, 2026, 9:45 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 52 second excerpt of TF1's Le 20HÉric Zemmour's post on X about his convictions and the law he would abolish · Éric ZemmourPost on X, November 10, 2026, 10:19 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 30 second excerpt of his TF1 interviewÉric Zemmour officialise sa candidature à la présidentielle 2027 · Agence France-PresseFull AFP dispatch, as published by Sud RadioWhy this label?
The reference point is the remarks for which French courts have definitively convicted Éric Zemmour of racial insult and incitement to hatred. Zemmour says the remarks are not racism, calls his convictions an opinion offense and pledges to abolish the law under which judges punished them. Because he goes beyond rejecting the racism label and presents the remarks as acceptable speech that the law should not punish, this is a defense of the remarks rather than only a dispute over how they are described.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Gilles BouleauAnchor and editor-in-chief of TF1's evening news, Le 20H, interviewing Zemmour on airDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Bouleau opens the interview by saying Zemmour has been definitively convicted four times since 2022 for offenses with a racial dimension, including racist insult and incitement to hatred. Zemmour answers that he is the victim of judicial harassment, citing about 40 proceedings, and then says he has committed an opinion offense.
"It is the application of the law ... you committed punishable offenses ... Racism is not an opinion. (Translated from French. Original: C'est l'application du droit ... vous avez commis des délits répréhensibles ... Le racisme n'est pas une opinion.)"
CondemnedResponding to: Éric Zemmour's convictions for racial insult and incitement to hatred are for opinion offenses, not racism, under a law that lets judges restrict freedom of expression.
Full statement and sources
Interviewing Zemmour on TF1's evening news, Bouleau answers his claim of judicial harassment by calling the convictions the application of the law, tells him he committed punishable offenses and, when Zemmour calls them an opinion offense, replies that racism is not an opinion.
After the statement
Zemmour replies that his remarks are not racism and that he would abolish the law judges apply. Bouleau then cites Zemmour's remark that Muslims consider jihadists to be good Muslims and tells him he was convicted for it.
TF1Info's clip of Gilles Bouleau questioning Éric Zemmour about his convictions on Le 20HPost on X, November 10, 2026, 9:45 p.m. CET, with a 1 minute 52 second excerpt of TF1's Le 20HWhy this label?
The reference point is the remarks for which French courts have definitively convicted Éric Zemmour of racial insult and incitement to hatred. Bouleau tells Zemmour he committed punishable offenses and answers his description of them as an opinion offense by saying racism is not an opinion, which criticizes the remarks themselves as racism. He does more than dispute a description: he presents the convictions as the law applied to racist remarks.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(12)
Original post
TF1Info's clip of Gilles Bouleau questioning Éric Zemmour about his convictions on Le 20H
About this source
TF1's news account posts a video excerpt of the November 10 evening news interview in which anchor Gilles Bouleau asks Éric Zemmour about his convictions, with TF1's French transcription of the exchange.
- Author
- TF1Info
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Fabien Roussel's follow-up post on X linking to a petition on ineligibility for racism convictions
About this source
The second post of Roussel's thread on Zemmour's candidacy, linking to a French Communist Party petition for the ineligibility of people convicted of racism.
- Author
- Fabien Roussel
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
RTL's clip of Dominique Sopo on RTL Matin
About this source
RTL's post on X with a video excerpt of Dominique Sopo's November 11 interview on RTL Matin about Zemmour's candidacy and convictions.
- Author
- RTL
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Racisme : Éric Zemmour condamné pour la deuxième fois en deux semaines
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
L'Humanité reports the Court of Cassation's September 16, 2025 ruling on the Convention de la droite speech and its September 2 ruling upholding Zemmour's conviction for racist insult over a 2018 remark to Hapsatou Sy.
- Author
- Florent Le Du
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Éric Zemmour définitivement condamné pour des propos racistes en 2019
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
franceinfo reports that the Court of Cassation on September 16, 2025 rejected Zemmour's appeal against his conviction for provocation to racial hatred and racist insult over a 2019 speech at the Convention de la droite.
- Author
- franceinfo
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Eric Zemmour définitivement condamné pour complicité de provocation à la haine, après ses propos sur des mineurs isolés
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
franceinfo reports, with AFP, that the Court of Cassation rejected Zemmour's appeal against his conviction over his 2020 CNews remarks on unaccompanied migrant minors, making it final.
- Author
- franceinfo with AFP
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Présidentielle 2027 : Éric Zemmour officialise sa candidature au 20H de TF1
Relevant passage: Live coverage of the interview, entry posted at 8:57 p.m. CET
About this source
TF1 Info's live coverage of Zemmour's interview on Le 20H, including an entry on his four final convictions and his description of judicial harassment.
- Author
- Victor Gautier
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Fabien Roussel's post on X about Éric Zemmour's candidacy
About this source
Roussel's post on X as Zemmour announced his candidacy, calling for politicians convicted of racism to be made ineligible.
- Author
- Fabien Roussel
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
"Ces propos autorisent des passages à l'acte" : le président de SOS Racisme juge sur RTL que la candidature d'Éric Zemmour, condamné pour racisme, pose "un problème républicain"
Relevant passage: Article on the RTL Matin interview of November 11, 2026
About this source
RTL reports, in French, Dominique Sopo's interview on RTL Matin the morning after Zemmour's announcement, including his comments on Zemmour's convictions, on ineligibility for people convicted of racist remarks and on the racist attack in Trappes.
- Author
- Céline Landreau and Jérémy Descours
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Sa déclaration de candidature à l'élection présidentielle vire au clash avec le journaliste sur TF1
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
The Swiss daily 20 minutes reports, in French, the exchange between Gilles Bouleau and Éric Zemmour on TF1 and quotes both men.
- Author
- 20 minutes
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Éric Zemmour officialise sa candidature à la présidentielle 2027
Relevant passage: Full AFP dispatch, as published by Sud Radio
About this source
AFP reports, in French, Zemmour's candidacy announcement on TF1, his description of his convictions as opinion offenses and judicial harassment, the broadcasting regulator's recent referral of his remarks to the judicial authorities, and Fabien Roussel's reaction.
- Author
- Francesco Fontemaggi
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Éric Zemmour's post on X about his convictions and the law he would abolish
About this source
Zemmour's post on X after his TF1 interview. He says he has faced about 40 proceedings, has been acquitted 30 times in 10 years and is prosecuted for an opinion offense under a law he would abolish as president.
- Author
- Éric Zemmour
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Éric Zemmour calls his convictions for racial insult and incitement to hatred opinion offenses; TF1 anchor replies that racism is not an opinion
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/zemmour-convictions-opinion-offenses-tf1-bouleau
The Dispute Index. "Éric Zemmour calls his convictions for racial insult and incitement to hatred opinion offenses; TF1 anchor replies that racism is not an opinion". First published: 2026-11-12. Last updated: 2026-11-12. https://disputeindex.com/cases/zemmour-convictions-opinion-offenses-tf1-bouleau