Social media is a threat to the French language, says France's PM

Attal pushed for francophone countries worldwide to collectively pressure digital platforms to "defend the francophony around the world" and set up joint-financing of French-language cultural productions to compete with the high-budget creative industry in the U.S. He also said this could be done by "expanding" legislative mechanisms.

In Europe, the Belgian region of Flanders is looking to implement legislation to compel Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to financially support the creation of Flemish-language films and television series.

During his Canadian trip, Attal also spoke before Québec's National Assembly, becoming the first French prime minister in the last 40 years to do so. "Some people probably thought that French was destined to disappear from the map of North America. They didn't know Quebecers," Attal said, receiving a standing ovation from lawmakers of a province where linguistic issues are at the front and center of local politics.