The head of Radio France, Sibyle Veil, has defended her decision to keep journalist Thomas Legrand off the air, stating the move was intended to address what she called the "unacceptable feeling of collusion between journalists and politicians." Legrand had faced accusations of being too close to the Socialist Party (PS) after a video from a year ago showed him in a restaurant with two PS officials, including public broadcasting journalist Patrick Cohen. The video, released by the magazine L'Incorrect, was widely shared by conservative media outlets such as CNews, Europe 1, and JDD, sparking an inquiry by the National Assembly. The inquiry was led by Charles Alloncle, a deputy from the UDR group, which aligns with the far-right RN party. Alloncle strongly criticized France Télévisions and Radio France for what he described as a lack of independence in their editorial choices. Legrand had previously denied the accusations, calling them "false and manipulative." He also described his removal from airtime as a "complete and lasting invisibility on air," suggesting that he felt unfairly targeted by external political pressures. Veil responded to Legrand’s criticisms by stating that he was "making himself the martyr of the independence of public broadcasting." She emphasized that true independence means no individual or group should be able to control public airtime as if it were their personal property. She also confirmed that Legrand would not be returning to a regular feature on France Inter, the public radio station under Radio France's umbrella. The controversy highlights ongoing debates about the independence of public broadcasting and the boundaries between journalism and political influence. While Legrand claims his removal is politically motivated, Veil insists it is a necessary step to maintain the integrity and impartiality of public media. The situation has drawn attention to the challenges faced by journalists in maintaining neutrality in a politically charged media landscape.