Marine Tondelier proposes ineligibility for political lying

Marine Tondelier, the ecological candidate for the French presidential election, has proposed a new law to prohibit deliberate lying in politics, with the penalty of ineligibility for offenders. Drawing inspiration from a model used in Wales, Tondelier argues that France needs a legislative arsenal to protect the quality of public debate.

The proposal specifically targets factual and intentional lies. To qualify for sanctions, the individual must be aware of the falsehood or unable to ignore it, and must possess a clear intention to deceive. Tondelier clarified that the law would not penalize simple errors, inaccuracies, or political shifts in opinion, stating that the ultimate judge of such matters remains the voter.

The proposal follows a recent incident involving Senator Vincent Louault, who admitted on television to using fake news during debates regarding the insecticide acetamipride, justifying the act by claiming that people better understand simple messages even if they are false.