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Journalists at France’s Le Sunday newspaper have gone on strike to protest the appointment of a far-right editor at one of the country’s most prominent newspapers ahead of its takeover by billionaire industrialist Vincent Bollore.
The newspaper’s parent company, Lagardère, announced on Friday the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune, 34, who rose to fame as editor of the right-wing magazine Valeurs Actuelles and with anti-immigration politician Eric Eric Zemmour and Marion Marechal are close. Jean-Marie Le Pen.
With Bolloré’s media group Vivendi in the process of finalizing its takeover of Lagardère, Lejeune’s arrival is how the billionaire is making a name for himself in outlets he controls, such as news channel CNews and Europe 1 radio station. The latest example of ideological imprinting. Both outlets have swung to the right under Vivendi’s influence, focusing on what they say is out-of-control crime, the risks posed by Islamists and too much immigration.
Such an editorial line would diverge from mainstream JDD, which tends to be close to the government in power and frequently interviews ministers and politicians. JDD workers have voted to strike through Wednesday and are seeking financial support to fund their strike.
In a statement, the union called on management to reverse the decision. “JDD’s editorial staff refuses to be led by a man whose ideas are in complete contradiction to the newspaper’s values,” it said.
French Culture Minister Rima Abdul-Malik expressed sympathy for the editorial staff’s concerns. “My Sunday ritual is to wake up with JDD . . . JDD can be anything it wants as long as the law is respected. But how can we not be shocked by the values of our republic?” she wrote on twitter.
Vivendi is expected to complete the Lagardère acquisition in the coming months after receiving approval from European competition authorities, pending certain divestments. That would officially confirm its ownership of JDD, celebrity magazines Paris Match and Europe 1, though its influence begins in 2021 when it buys a stake in Lagardère and airdrops new editors and reporters.
Lejeune did not respond to a request for comment. Lagardère declined to comment, while Vivendi referred all comments to Lagardère.
Lejeune will join JDD after being fired by the editor of Valeurs Actuelles earlier this month amid the magazine owner’s concerns about declining subscription numbers and revenue during his tenure.
During Lejeune’s tenure as editor, the magazine was convicted by a Paris court for publishing an article that violated France’s anti-racism and hate speech laws. It depicts Daniele Obono, an African-American member of parliament, as a slave in chains.
In a statement announcing the appointment, Lagardère chief executive Arnaud Lagardère said: “Jeffrey is a genius of French journalism that we cannot pass on.”
In the JDD newsroom, reporters described a feeling of shock. “Everyone is united in resistance, but under no illusions. We have to stand up and protest against far-right figures as editors — it’s an ethical and moral issue. But it’s very difficult to change the course of what’s happening,” A senior reporter said.
The JDD reporter predicts that if Lejeune’s appointment goes through, staff will be lost, following the pattern of other media groups that Vivendi has taken over. A voluntary buyout is expected to be proposed next week, with the journalists likely to exercise a “conscience clause” that would allow them to leave with protection in the event of a change in ownership.
While Vivendi has yet to take full control of Lagardère, critics worry that Bolloré and his executives will use JDD as a voice for his conservative views and focus on issues of identity politics and culture wars. The tycoon, who hails from a traditionally Catholic family in Brittany, has long considered the French media too left-wing and has sought to create a counterweight, according to people familiar with his thinking.
Vivendi rebranded i-Télé, a mainstream 24-hour news channel, to CNews and transformed it into an opinion and debate-driven channel akin to Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News. CNews has been a springboard for right-wingers such as Lejeune himself and the journalist and author Zemour, who ran unsuccessfully for the French presidency in 2022.
A union representing journalists from about 30 French media outlets, including Le Monde and Les Echos, as well as the TV channel BFM expressed solidarity Talked to JDD staff saying Lejeune should not have been appointed.