On paper, France protects free speech. “Article 11 of France’s 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man states that freedom of speech is one ‘of the most precious rights of humankind,’” explained Noëlle Lenoir, who served on France’s Supreme Court, known as the Constitutional Council, between 1992 and 2001. The European Convention on Human Rights, drafted after World War II, added the right to access different kinds of media. “That is to say, you can look at Fox News, you can watch CNN, and the government cannot limit the number of media because it doesn’t like the political orientation,” she said in a new podcast for Public.
But President Emmanuel Macron and the French left are increasing their attacks on free speech. “France is in danger,” said Lenoir, “and the future of democracy is at stake.” Their main target is CNews, the conservative cable channel owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré, which the French left, given its success, likes to compare to France’s equivalent of Rupert Murdoch. Reporters Without Borders called the first CNews warning unprecedented — but then demanded more. “I know this isn’t unique to France,” she said over email, “but my country is starting to rank fairly high when it comes to trying to silence those who don’t think like those in power.”
