Political journalist Jean-François Achilli denied on Friday having collaborated in the writing of the autobiography of the president of the RN, Jordan Bardella, and denounced the “brutality” of an “unjustified measure” after being suspended by franceinfo.
He assured that he had “not violated any professional or ethical rules”.
“I spoke with Jordan Bardella as I have done with all political leaders for 25 years.
We spoke, at his request, about what his expression could be for a book of interviews.
I refused the project,” said Jean-François Achilli, on the social network he wrote again.
Focus.
pic.twitter.com/dxttWo7b8R
— Jean-François Achilli (@JFAchilli) March 15, 2024
The management of franceinfo suspended the journalist "as a precautionary measure", "time to clarify the situation", it told AFP on Thursday, the day after the publication of an article in Le Monde which quotes Jordan Bardella, this the latter approached Jean-François Achilli before the summer of 2023 “for a joint work”.
According to the daily, the journalist who interviews a political figure daily in the late afternoon and co-presents the current affairs talk show Les Informés in the evening, refused.
But still according to Le Monde, the editorialist “nevertheless worked in the shadows, exposing Bardella to his memories, thus allowing the beginning of a text to see the light of day”.
Methods that “shame democracy”
The head of the RN list in the European elections in June, however, assured the daily that “only (his) close entourage helps him write this book, for proofreading”.
After the suspension of the journalist, Jordan Bardella denounced “the methods” of public radio, according to him “worthy of the worst regimes” and which “shame democracy”.
According to L'Obs, Mazarine Editions, owned by Hachette Livre, in the hands of ultra-conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré, could publish Jordan Bardella's book.
They are directed by Lise Boëll, known for being behind the transformation of Éric Zemmour into a successful essayist.
The MEP, however, declared to Le Monde that “it would be an error to assert that Lise Boëll is preparing to publish (it)”.