A Local Election Campaign Marked By Hatred And Discrimination In France

“Go back to your country” and “dirty Arab”… These are racist phrases not directed at a “harraga” or an immigrant threatened with leaving French territory, but rather written on the election campaign posters of Toufik Khayar, the leading candidate on the ecological list for the municipal elections in France, scheduled for mid-March.

Khayar, a member of the municipal council of Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, was surprised on Tuesday, February 24, by racist writings on his election campaign posters.

Regarding the impact of these racist remarks, Khayar stated to “Echorouk” that he would not downplay the seriousness of what happened: “To see your picture covered with phrases like (dirty Arab) or (go back to your country) is real violence. These are not just torn posters, nor an electoral dispute, but an assault on identity. There are those who try to reduce you to a presumed origin, erase your path, and deny your commitment to public affairs.”

Toufik Khayar was born and raised in France, and currently works as a university professor in economics, in addition to his community and political activities in his city. Despite all this, he asserts that “a few words written in paint make some people want to suggest to me that I will never be fully legitimate.”

Khayar further asserted: “Humanly, it was a shock, but unfortunately, this is not the first time. I have previously been a victim of humiliating statements within the municipal council, subjected to ridicule, and reduced to degrading stereotypes and ready-made molds. What worries me most is not the insult itself, but people getting used to it. For several years, we have witnessed an increasing liberation of racist discourse. What was once considered a slip-up has become an opinion openly declared, and what was marginal has become audible.”

Our interlocutor points out that “words have weight. They hurt, divide, and sometimes pave the way for actions.”

Toufik Khayar is not the only candidate who has been subjected to racist attacks during this municipal election campaign in France. Volkan Algül, a candidate in the municipal elections in Nemours (Seine-et-Marne), was subjected to racist comments due to his Turkish origin and Islamic religion, in addition to anonymous death threats since December 2025. He stated, as reported by “Le Parisien” on February 14, that he has become afraid for his family, which prompted him to file a complaint.

Abdelbar Jaafar, the candidate for the “La France Insoumise” party in the municipality of Créteil, also faced a barrage of racist messages on social media. “Le Parisien” wrote on December 10 last year, “Some seem to believe that Abdelbar Jaafar does not have the right name or the right skin color to run for mayor.”

As for the municipality of Villers-Cotterêts in the Aisne region of northern France, the candidates of the far-right “Rassemblement National” list found no way to elevate the electoral debate other than to call one of their opponents, Cédric Sansulpice, by the name “Karim.”

Le Pen’s party candidates wrote, “He whitened his image on his campaign flyer and claims that ‘Karim’ is not his name,” mocking their opponent, who confirmed to “Libération” in its issue on Thursday, February 26:

“I was born in France, and my father’s family has been here for 2000 years, yet they are still looking for a single drop of blood that they consider ‘impure’.”

Toufik Khayar emphasizes that the city of Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, with over 24,000 inhabitants, is a popular and multicultural city rich in its diversity, where residents from different backgrounds have lived together for decades in a spirit of respect and solidarity.

Khayar believes that this identity must be protected, noting that “despite this, we are not isolated from the national climate. In France, in recent years, some political and media discourses have contributed to normalizing stigmatization. Talking about ‘origin,’ ‘name,’ and ‘presumed religion’ has become as if these elements determine a citizen’s legitimacy to participate in public life. And when fear of the other is fueled, and French people are pitted against each other, and the seriousness of racist statements is downplayed, some people feel empowered to go even further.”

Our interlocutor confirms that these actions do not represent the majority of the city’s residents, pointing out that he received hundreds of messages of support, which shows, according to him, that his city “rejects hatred.”

He added: “But a small minority can cause great damage if given the space. What is targeted through me is not just my posters, but all those French people who, like me, are French of other origins. And I say it clearly: being French of another origin is a richness. Our country was built through multiple contributions: doctors, teachers, engineers, traders, civil servants, artists… from diverse paths who contribute daily to the greatness of France.”

Khayar affirms that he has always fought against all forms of discrimination, whether related to origin, name, or social status.

He added: “My struggle is not sectarian, but deeply republican. I refuse for political debate to turn into an identity confrontation. Political struggle must remain a conflict between ideas and projects, not a preferential ranking between affiliations.”

He concluded by affirming his continuation of his electoral campaign, stating: “I will continue to defend a project that unites people, and I will continue to speak about housing, cleanliness, security, environment, education, and social justice. And I refuse for this campaign to be distorted towards hatred.”