Radio personality Thomas Legrand suspended from France Inter following the release of a video featuring him with two members of the French Parliament

On September 5, 2020, French radio station France Inter temporarily suspended columnist Thomas Legrand following the release of several controversial videos by L'Incorrect.

The videos, recorded during a private meeting in early July in Paris, show Legrand making statements that some have deemed clumsy and regrettable, particularly regarding Rachida Dati, a prominent French politician. In a post on X on Saturday afternoon, Legrand himself acknowledged the regrettable nature of his statements.

Rachida Dati, the subject of the statements, reacted swiftly on Friday evening, expressing concern about the potential violation of journalistic ethics. She also stated that the statements could lead to sanctions and could be damaging to the work done by France Inter. Dati also condemned the methods used to obtain the videos as illegal and unfair.

The videos also feature Pierre Jouvet, an MEP, and Luc Broussy, president of the PS National Council. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a French politician, criticized the video on social media, calling it "a shocking video."

LR, the party of Rachida Dati, condemned the open admissions of public service journalists attempting to help the left win elections in Paris. Meanwhile, Laurent Jacobelli, spokesman for the RN, called for the privatization of the public audiovisual service.

However, the SNJ Radio France (National Union of Journalists) supports Thomas Legrand and denounces the permanent caricature of their 'round house' as a 'red house.' Patrick Cohen, another individual featured in the videos, stated that they were manipulated, with no continuous conversations.

Adele van Reeth, station director of France Inter, also defended Legrand, stating that the statements in the videos were edited and taken out of context. She also expressed her responsibility to protect France Inter from accusations of partisan purposes.

Thomas Legrand will not host the "Face à Thomas Legrand" show on Sunday morning on France Inter until the situation is clarified. The PS asserted that no collusion exists between the Socialist Party and journalists, while Legrand himself emphasised that he does not support any political party, as he is fighting against Dati's lies and her attitude towards the press.

Rachida Dati also emphasised her commitment to protecting France Inter from accusations of partisan purposes, further adding to the ongoing debate about journalistic ethics and political bias in the French media.

Radio personality Thomas Legrand suspended from France Inter following the release of a video featuring him with two members of the French Parliament