Radio France staff threaten strike over new France Inter columnist

Staff at Radio France have voted to strike following the decision to grant a weekly political column on France Inter to Charles Sapin, a deputy editor at the right-wing magazine Valeurs Actuelles. In a unanimous motion passed during a general assembly, employees expressed a “categorical refusal” of Sapin’s presence, arguing that the values of his publication are incompatible with those of the public broadcasting group.

The strike is tentatively planned for Sunday, September 13, and Monday, September 14. Unions and journalists' associations have criticized the move, describing Valeurs Actuelles as a “multi-condemned extreme right-wing organ” and suggesting the appointment crosses an “unacceptable red line.”

Radio France President Sibyle Veil and France Inter Director Céline Pigalle have defended the decision, citing the necessity of maintaining media pluralism, particularly in an election year. Veil stated that the public service should not be a “neutral or sanitized field” but rather an open house that hosts diverse viewpoints, reflecting the country’s political landscape.