The strike was voted 93% by the editorial staff of the “Journal du dimanche”, a newspaper now controlled by billionaire Vincent Bolloré. Geoffroy Lejeune is the former editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine “Valeurs nouvelles”.
The drafting of Sunday newspaper (JDD) goes on strike against “expected arrival” by Geoffroy Lejeune, ex-director of Current valuesat the head of its general management, according to a press release from the editorial staff that franceinfo was able to consult on Thursday June 22. “We strongly oppose this appointment,” explain the journalists.
The employees of JDD are on renewable strike from Thursday at 5:30 p.m. “The strike was voted by 93% of those cast (77 for, 1 no, 5 don’t know)”they explain, pointing out that “this vote brings together all the services that contribute to the success of the newspaper on a daily basis and not just the editorial staff”. The strike can be lifted if the management of Lagardère, the group to which the JDD, invalidates the arrival of Geoffroy Lejeune.
“Geoffroy Lejeune, former managing editor of the far-right weekly Current valuess, expresses ideas that run counter to the values held by the JDD for seventy-five years”specifies the drafting which tackles at the same time “Charlotte d’Ornellas, figure of the reactionary right and close to the ideas of Éric Zemmour, whose arrival is also anticipated”. Geoffroy Lejeune, 34, was recently fired from Current values amid disagreements with its owner over the newspaper’s very right-wing editorial line. Aged 34, he is a friend of Marion Maréchal and close to Eric Zemmour, whose Current values supported the 2022 presidential candidacy.
A “jeopardy” of the newspaper
The journalists of JDD denounce “hate attacks and false information” spread by Current values under the direction of Geoffroy Lejeune. “It is still under his responsibility that an article was published which earned its author and the director of the publication a conviction for public insult of a racist nature against Danièle Obono”deputy LFI, specifies the press release.
“We refuse that the JDD take this path”says the editorial staff. “THE JDD is not an opinion journal. It is a newspaper that loves politics without taking sides, attached to its independence, recognized for its seriousness and moderation.“, she says. For the employees of the JDDthe arrival of Geffroy Lejeune “could jeopardize the newspaper, by repelling both readers and advertisers”.
Turmoil agitates the three main newsrooms of the Lagardère group (Europe 1, the JDD And Paris Match) since Vivendi gradually took control of it, well before the official green light recently obtained from the European Commission. The announcement of a merger between the editorial staff of Europe 1 and CNews in the spring of 2021 had triggered a historic strike movement within the radio, ending in a haemorrhage of departures. Since October 2021, several changes have affected the management of Paris Match and JDD. Many saw the hand of Vincent Bolloré there. “A week after the conditional validation of the takeover bid by Vivendi, a group controlled by Vincent Bolloré, for Lagardère, this appointment would further demonstrate to what extent Vincent Bolloré already holds the reins of the newspaper”details the press release which recalls that “The European Commission is currently investigating suspicions of an early takeover of Lagardère by the Vivendi group, in breach of EU rules.“