Thomas Legrand permanently removed from Radio France

Journalist Thomas Legrand has been permanently removed from Radio France, one year after being suspended following the ‘Legrand-Cohen affair’. In an op-ed published in Le Monde, Legrand described his situation as a total and lasting ‘invisibilization’ from the airwaves, characterizing himself as a victim of a ‘lying and manipulative’ external campaign.

The controversy began in September 2025 when a recording of Legrand and journalist Patrick Cohen having a conversation with two Socialist Party officials was released without their knowledge. While Legrand claimed the clips were ‘maliciously edited and truncated’, the incident sparked a debate regarding the impartiality of public broadcasting.

Despite hopes of returning to France Inter for the new season, Legrand was excluded from the updated programming schedule. Radio France President Sibyle Veil reportedly informed him that no return was planned. Legrand has framed his departure as a broader issue concerning press freedom, arguing that external campaigns can successfully force the removal of media figures.