Speaking at an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development conference on Tuesday, Barrot pointed to the growing role of social media in what he called the global battle over democracy. He said political movements with authoritarian aims were gaining ground in Europe and North America, playing into the hands of democracy's declared enemies by exacerbating polarisation.
"There are massive online harassment campaigns launched by Elon Musk against European leaders in order to influence debates by exploiting the virality of his social media platform," Barrot said. Musk did not reply to a request for comment.
Barrot cited France's 2027 presidential election, where far-right leader Marine Le Pen is the frontrunner in the polls, as a key target. He said the enemies of democracy were exploiting divisions over immigration, secularism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He also listed other examples of foreign interference, including an unnamed Israeli company accused of creating fake French social media accounts to influence perceptions of the Israel-Gaza war, and accusations that Azerbaijan stirred up tensions during deadly riots in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia.
Last week, Musk and US president Donald Trump weighed in on recent student protests in France, seeking to recast them through a lens of mass migration and brushing aside protesters' demands for better school conditions. Barrot said the protests had been exploited by hostile narratives from Russia, China, Iran and the US Maga movement.
The remarks come amid growing concern in Europe over the influence of social media platforms on democratic processes, with several countries introducing or considering regulation to address disinformation and foreign interference.