The appointment of Sophie Dupont would be "the straw" that would have broken the camel's back. The main figures of the National Rally were asked by their leadership "to no longer respond to the solicitations of BFMTV", especially after the recruitment of a new journalist to follow the party, told AFP an official of the RN confirming information from Politico.
"After having exposed to the management of the channel our greatest reluctance towards a journalist who has been professionally leading for several years a militant and political fight against us, BFMTV chooses in conscience to confirm this choice," lamented the leadership of the RN in a message sent to the "main speakers" of the party.
According to several media, journalist Sophie Dupont must leave the program "Quotidien", broadcast on TMC, to join the political service of BFMTV and follow the National Rally.
"A breach of trust", judges the leadership of the RN
"We welcome this decision as a breach of trust. This decision is of an obvious nature to alter the objective treatment of the movement, "it was still written to the media pundits of the far-right party, asking them, "in agreement with Marine (Le Pen), to no longer respond to the solicitations of BFMTV", whether for "sets" in studio, "duplex", or "interviews".
An RN official confirmed to AFP the authenticity of these messages, explaining that it was not a "boycott" but a "moratorium". According to the lepenites, there is no longer a BFMTV journalist assigned to follow the RN "for three months and this will be the case again three months". "We are asking for normal treatment with follow-up like all other parties," he continued, acknowledging that the appointment was unwelcome.
Sophie Dupont, "a competent and confirmed journalist"
The director general of the BFMTV channel, Marc-Olivier Fogiel defends himself on Twitter, assuring that "the RN is considered with as much attention by our editorial staff as the other main parties of our country". He stresses that Sophie Dupont is "a competent and confirmed journalist".
@BFMTV engage une journaliste compétente et confirmée. The RN is considered with as much attention by our editorial staff as the other main parties in our country.
1/2 https://t.co/0Vu2JlcxwM
— Marc-Olivier FOGIEL (@FogielMarcO) May 27, 2023
"It is obviously not up to the political parties to decide which journalists are attached to their follow-up," he said.