A French court has ruled against the advertising arm of France’s national rail network SNCF after it banned posters promoting the autobiography of National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella.
The posters were deemed to breach “principles of neutrality” but the court found this reasoning unjustified.
In a statement on April 9, Bardella’s publisher Fayard quoted the court’s ruling, which stated that the posters were “not of a political nature” and “did not meet the criteria for prohibition” as defined by MediaTransports’ guidelines.
The promotional posters for Bardella’s book Ce que je cherche (What I’m Looking For) were intended to appear last year in Paris stations, city suburbs and train stations across wider France.
Following what the RN leader called “censorship”, Fayard, alongside its lawyer Sarah Saldmann, a regular guest on Conservative TV channel CNews, took legal action against MediaTransports.
“This ruling strengthens the protection of rights and freedom of expression,” the publisher said.
On X, Bardella reacted to the ruling, saying that MediaTransports fell under the pressure of trade unionists.
“Under pressure from SNCF union members, the MediaTransports agency had cancelled the promotional campaign for my book planned for stations. The court has just overruled them: A fine victory for freedom of expression against the totalitarian reflexes of the Left,” he said.
The ad campaign had previously sparked backlash from trade unions. On October 16, Sud-Rail, a major rail union, publicly demanded that SNCF cancel the campaign.
“We will never allow the far-right to campaign in our stations. SNCF management must intervene immediately,” the union said at the time.
The Association for the Support of Whistle-blowers, which provided legal aid to individuals and right-wing groups in France, also reacted, welcoming the ruling as “a new victory against censorship”.
“MediaTransports was declared at fault by the court for having refused the poster campaign for Jordan Bardella’s book. This is a new victory against censorship,” it said.
“The visual was neither political nor contrary to public order, the judgment of April 8 recalls.”
“A decision which proves that freedom of expression is not negotiable, despite the mobilisation last October of unions and far-left politicians,” it added.
France’s National Rally president Jordan Bardella has claimed he is the target of “censorship” after adverts for his new book were barred from display in French train stations and subways. https://t.co/shFP3moGJa
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 29, 2024
