France public radio staff strike over commentator from far-right weekly

Staff at France's public radio broadcaster began a two-day strike on Sunday over the appointment of a commentator whom unions accuse of promoting far-right ideas ahead of next spring's presidential election.

Charles Sapin, deputy editor-in-chief at far-right weekly Valeurs Actuelles, has since late August been presenting a weekly political commentary segment on France Inter, the country's most-listened-to radio station.

Management has defended the appointment in the name of pluralism ahead of the April-May election to choose a successor to President Emmanuel Macron.

Polls suggest far-right leader Marine Le Pen has her strongest chance yet of winning the Elysee Palace.

Staff have expressed their opposition to the appointment, arguing that Valeurs Actuelles' editorial values are at odds with Radio France's public service mandate.

Due to the strike, Sapin's weekly column, scheduled to air early on Sunday, was not broadcast.

Other segments of France Inter's morning programme were also taken off the air and replaced with music.

Morning programmes on franceinfo and France Culture, the public group's other radio stations, were broadcast as normal.

The magazine, which describes itself as conservative, has faced numerous legal controversies, including convictions for racial public insults.

In an opinion piece published in daily Le Parisien on Saturday, around 300 public figures including filmmakers, writers and lawyers described France Inter's recruitment of Sapin as "outrageous" and called for him to be stripped of his political commentary slot.

"Pluralism must operate within the framework of republican values and should not be confused with complacency toward ideas that pose a threat to democracy and respect for fundamental rights," they said.

Signatories included left-leaning figures, among them actress Julie Gayet, wife of former president Francois Hollande, and Nobel Prize-winning author Annie Ernaux.

Speaking on air on Thursday, France Inter director Celine Pigalle defended Sapin's appointment, describing pluralism as "fundamental" for a public radio station.

"I believe I can trust him not to put France Inter's airwaves at risk," she said.

In early September, hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon described Sapin's appointment as a "takeover by fascists."