Raphaël Glucksmann, a left-wing candidate running in the French presidential election, responded to Stéphane Bureau, an editorialist for France Inter, during an interview on the program Face à face on Friday, September 4. Glucksmann was addressing comments made by Bureau at the end of the interview, which questioned Glucksmann’s lack of clarity about the presence of Charles Sapin, a right-wing commentator, on France Inter. Glucksmann’s response was firm, stating, “If you believe that the president of the Republic should comment on a France Inter editorialist, that means you have not understood what the Republic was.” His words were aimed at challenging the idea that the head of state should engage directly with media figures, suggesting that such involvement could blur the lines between political leadership and media influence. France Inter is a public radio station in France, known for its diverse range of programming, including news, cultural content, and political commentary. The station has long been a platform for a variety of voices, including both left and right-wing perspectives. However, the inclusion of Charles Sapin, a well-known right-wing commentator, has raised concerns among some members of the public and political figures about the balance of viewpoints on public media. The controversy surrounding Sapin’s presence on France Inter has sparked broader discussions about the role of public service media in France and the extent to which political opinions should influence programming. Glucksmann’s response to Bureau highlights the tensions that exist between political figures and media commentators, particularly when it comes to the perceived neutrality of public institutions.