“I’m really afraid that we authors will lose this freedom,” says writer Franck Thilliez

A petition signed by figures from the book world was published Monday June 17 on the change.org website. Sector players are calling on voters to “block the National Rally”. Among the signatories, the writer Franck Thilliez.

“I am really afraid that with a far-right party in power, we authors, artists, will lose this freedom”, declared, Monday June 17, the French writer Franck Thilliez, to franceinfo. He is a signatory of a petition from the book world, notably in the company of the Jean-Baptiste Andrea Goncourt Prize, to call for a vote “against the extreme right” during early legislative elections.

“Usually, I never express myself politically and I really keep my opinions to myself, I am very careful to separate my romantic, literary life from my political opinions”explains the author of detective novels. “If I do it today, it is because I find that the moment is serious. The extreme right has never been so close to power and we are in a critical moment in our country”.

“Today, any writer can express himself, whatever his ideas, he has the right to write and we have the right not to read him”continues Franck Thilliez. “However, nothing can prevent it from existing, and I am really afraid that we, the authors, the artists, will lose this freedom”he adds, citing “what is happening in certain European countries like Germany where we have seen books torn up and removed from libraries with pressure from far-right parties”.

“Every time I pick up my pen and write my stories, I tell myself that I am incredibly lucky to be able to express myself freely, to be able to offer my vision of the world without restraint, without the slightest censorship, without pressure “continues Franck Thilliez. “Same when you are a reader, when you pick up a book, you have this incredible possibility of constructing your own vision of the world, of forming your opinion and of having access to all types of ideas, without censorship”.

“If I signed this petition, it is because it speaks of sharing, respect, vigilance, freedom. These are values ​​that speak to me and which are threatened”he finishes.