French petition to ban CNews gains momentum

A petition hosted on the French National Assembly website calling for the closure of the news channel CNews has seen a significant surge in signatures. Originally launched on June 10, 2026, by Lucas Massoni, the petition has recently reached approximately 130,000 signatures, following a period of slow growth.

The petition demands the removal of the channel's TNT broadcasting frequency and its total closure. The author characterizes CNews as a “propaganda machine” rather than an information outlet, citing its history of 27 formal warnings and 630,000 euros in fines from the regulator Arcom since 2019. The movement has gained renewed traction following a racist attack in Trappes and La Verrière.

Critics of the channel, owned by Vincent Bolloré, argue that the network promotes extremist rhetoric and racial attacks. The petition seeks to prevent public frequencies from being used by media outlets that the author claims violate the law and social cohesion.