TikTok users are co-opting a 16-year-old Lady Gaga hit to poke fun at the French in new social media trend – and the French are striking back in spectacular fashion.

Lady Gaga’s 2009 song Bad Romance features the lyrics: “I want your love, and I want your revenge. I want your love, I don’t wanna be friends.” 

TikTok users, initially in the United States, decided to take these lyrics and modify them to ‘I don’t wanna be French’.

It wasn’t long before France’s users from Spain, Italy and Belgium jumped on the trend, and the opportunity to bash their European neighbour, tagging their videos #IDontWantToBeFrench’ and attracting millions of views. 

The videos take aim at everything from cultural icons to culninary rivalries, to even football player Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt on Italy’s Marco Materazzi at the 2006 World Cup.

Finally the French decided enough was enough and mounted a vigorous counterattack, that eclipsed the initial trend.

Even former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal got involved.

“You want to attack us over food. … We sure have a lot to envy from a country that makes Sprite pies (a reworking of the depression-era water pie that has gained popularity online),” one TikTok user posted.

This was accompanied by videos proclaiming ‘I wanna be French’ and ‘We don’t want you to be French’ and posts pointing out some of America’s deficiencies, including healthcare.

“In France we say ‘nous au moins on a la carte vitale,’ (‘at least we have the carte vitale’) one TikTok user posted, referring to the country’s healthcare card.

The carte vitale jibe became a trend of its own and a sparked a wave of French nationalism, with one user commenting “Thank you Americans for launching this trend on TikTok. You’re rekindling our collective pride in being French.” 

But perhaps it was Attal who had the last laugh with a video proclaiming he ‘wants to be French’ accompanied by an eclectic montage featuring World Cup finals, former European Parliament president Simone Veil and even raclette, the iconic melted cheese dish.