Public broadcasting reform rejected at the start of debates in the National Assembly

The left-wing deputies, unexpectedly joined by those of the National Rally, voted overwhelmingly (94 votes including 16 RN against 38) for a motion rejecting the ecologist and social group.

Yet another twist in a text that has had a chaotic path. From the very beginning of the debates on Monday, June 30, MPs rejected the reform of public broadcasting, rejected by the affected employees but which Culture Minister Rachida Dati continues to defend tooth and nail. The bill by Senator Laurent Lafon (UDI, center) plans to create a holding company, France Médias, on January 1, 2026, which would oversee France Télévisions, Radio France, and the INA (National Audiovisual Institute), under the authority of a chairman and CEO.

The left-wing deputies, unexpectedly joined by those of the National Rally, voted largely (94 votes including 16 RN against 38) a motion of rejection of the ecologist and social group, in the face of the sparse benches of the government coalition. The representatives of the left-wing groups unanimously rejoiced at this vote. "This is a huge setback for Rachida Dati and she deserves it, because her reform was poorly prepared," welcomed the PS deputy Emmanuel Grégoire, who will face Rachida Dati in Paris during the municipal elections of March 2026 .

"The left did not want to debate. This is a step taken. The text will go more quickly to the Senate," the minister's office commented to AFP. Facing the press, as in the chamber, the Minister of Culture defended a reform that she has been carrying out for months, and which would be one of the rare trophies she could boast on Rue de Valois. "We need a conductor, to break away from operating in silos, to have very clear, truly unified strategies with a single CEO, a coherent and coordinated strategy," she said.

For the RN, the vote on the motion was a way to shorten the debates, while nearly 1,300 amendments had been tabled, mainly by the left. "We are fed up with seeing the left systematically obstructing almost every text in the chamber," explained RN MP Philippe Ballard to the press. Erwan Balanant, MP from the MoDem group, regretted a "democratic mess" and a "mess for the audiovisual sector," even though his group had "reluctance" about the text.

For their part, the media unions involved began an indefinite strike that began Thursday at Radio France to oppose budget cuts and this proposed reform, which the unions consider "extremely dangerous" both for the future of employees and for the independence of information. The National Union of Journalists (SNJ) counted 67% of strikers in the group's editorial offices on Monday. At France Télévisions, where the strike began Monday, management counted 15% of strikers during the day. Several hundred employees gathered at midday Monday near the Ministry of Culture, chanting "Rachida Dati resign."