Mathilde Panot criticizes LFI deputy over Bolloré-owned publisher choice

Mathilde Panot, leader of the La France insoumise (LFI) group in the French National Assembly, has publicly distanced the party from LFI deputy Aurélien Taché following his decision to publish a book with Fayard.

Taché’s upcoming work, titled ‘Le Français, une langue africaine’, is scheduled for release on October 14, 2026, under the ‘Pensée Libre’ collection. Fayard is owned by Hachette Livre, which is controlled by the Vincent Bolloré group. This decision has caused friction within LFI, as the party and its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have frequently criticized Bolloré’s influence on media and culture, with Mélenchon previously suggesting the group should be dismantled if LFI wins the 2027 presidential election.

Panot stated that while the decision is Taché’s alone, she believes that in the future, no LFI deputy should publish with houses owned by Bolloré. She emphasized her support for independent publishers and creators fighting against Bolloré’s influence. Taché defended his choice, noting that he weighed the pros and cons and intends to use the visibility provided by Bolloré-linked media to spread his ideas regarding the decolonization of the French language.