Petition gains renewed attention

A petition calling for the removal of CNews from French audiovisual media, submitted to the National Assembly's platform on June 10, 2026, has gained renewed attention following a racist attack in the Yvelines. The incident has reinvigorated calls for action against the channel, which has been under scrutiny for its content and influence.

Petition details and claims

The petition, now with over 40,000 signatures, requires 100,000 to be published on the Assembly's website. It was signed by someone named Lucas Massoni, who claims that CNews is "not a news channel. It is a propaganda machine." The text references 27 warnings from the Arcom since 2019 and 630,000 euros in cumulative fines.

Criticism of regulatory body

The petition criticizes Arcom, the French media regulator, for being passive and calls it "the doormat of the regulated." It also criticizes Vincent Bolloré, the billionaire owner of CNews, describing him as "a piece fallen from the couch." The petition demands the immediate withdrawal of CNews's TNT convention and the closure of the channel.

Racist attack and its context

The attack in Trappes and La Verrière resulted in the death of Pengo Bossio Wangi, 26 years old, and caused five injuries. The racist nature of the attack is no longer in doubt, with an investigation by Mediapart suggesting the attacker linked the incident to immigration, a topic frequently addressed by CNews.

CNews and far-right accusations

Detractors claim CNews has taken a turn toward the far right since its acquisition by the Bolloré group. At the National Assembly, CNews was excluded from a press conference by the mayor of Trappes, Ali Rabeh, and the deputy from the Yvelines, Benjamin Lucas-Lundy, who supported the decision.

Separate petition calls for dissolution

A separate petition on the Change.org platform demands the "dissolution" of CNews, reflecting growing public concern over the channel's influence and content.