The report, authored by Charles Alloncle of the far-right Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR) party, also proposes that the president directly nominate public broadcasting heads, sparking criticism from left and center politicians who call it biased. Alloncle said public broadcasting is 'ill-adapted to our era, faces a financial crisis, has lost touch with what French people want, and must be completely reformed.' Socialist MP Ayda Hadizadeh said the process had turned into a 'tribunal' by politicians who wanted 'to kill public broadcasting.'
The far right, leading in polls, vows to privatize public broadcasting. Jordan Bardella, RN party president, reiterated that his party would begin a process of privatization if it wins the next election. The government is not obliged to adopt the report, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called it a 'missed opportunity.'
The process had turned into a 'tribunal' by politicians who wanted 'to kill public broadcasting'.
France Télévisions and Radio France are major public broadcasters, but their long-term funding remains uncertain after the TV licence fee was scrapped in 2022.
Reform was necessary but the report was a 'missed opportunity'.