Strike renewed at the JDD, the publication of the next issue deemed "impossible"

The editorial staff of the JDD renewed its strike on Friday against the arrival at its head of Geoffroy Lejeune, which should prevent the next issue from being published on Sunday, before a meeting with the office of the Minister of Culture. More than twenty journalists from the weekly also met on Friday morning near the Ministry of Culture, where a delegation was then to be received by the cabinet of Rima Abdul Malak.

They call on the minister to "change the law as quickly as possible in order to guarantee the editorial and legal independence of the editorial staff", according to a press release issued before this meeting. The editorial staff of the Sunday newspaper – which remains on five weekends in a row without publication – begins its 36th day of strike, after having renewed its movement for 24 hours by an overwhelming majority (96% of voters).

De facto, the publication of a number on Sunday is "impossible", assured AFP a journalist present at the rally. The strikers particularly want the management to renounce the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune, who came from the newspaper Valeurs Actuelles, marked on the far right, and who is to take office on August 1. Many observers see in his appointment the hand of billionaire Vincent Bolloré, whose Vivendi group must swallow Lagardère, owner of JDD, Paris Match and Europe 1, after a successful takeover bid.