employees demand an end to negotiations with Jean-Martial Lefranc under penalty of strike

The Society of Marianne Editors (SRM) requested Tuesday “immediate cessation of negotiations” with the entrepreneur Jean-Martial Lefranc, candidate to take over the magazine, due to lack of sufficient guarantees regarding the independence of the publication. Following a meeting, “it appeared that Mr. Lefranc’s views were in total opposition to the main principles of the independence of a newspaper”writes the SRM in a press release, which ensures that the “editorial is ready to use all means to obtain satisfaction including the strike”.

According to her, Mr. Lefranc “the firm intention” to intervene in the editorial line of the journal and to participate in editorial conferences. He also believes, according to the society of editors, that “certain articles published by Marianne do not meet the requirements of journalistic ethics”what he counts on “remedy personally”. Additionally, adds the instance, “the withdrawal of Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui, the largest shareholder in the takeover offer, seriously compromises the economic viability of the project”.

A “caricature” for Mr. Lefranc’s entourage

Questioned by AFP, Mr. Lefranc's entourage said “take note” of the communication of the SRM, speaking of “radicality” and of «caricature». “The attitude expressed by a majority of the editorial staff does not allow (…) to envisage a calm and constructive recovery of Marianne to date”adds this source in a brief press release, assuring however that“no decision regarding possible disengagement at this stage” was not taken. According to the same source, Mr. Lefranc “was the first to accept all the guarantees of independence requested by the editorial staff, and there was never any question of deviating from them”. “It is highly damaging to confuse editorial interventionism and strategic supervision of activity”she emphasizes. “Jean-Martial Lefranc had anticipated possible defections and financing alternatives are ready”she also indicates.

SRM recalls that, on April 22, Denis Olivennes, chairman of the supervisory board of CMI France, the group that owns Marianne, set a certain number of conditions for the sale: “sanctuaryization of the newspaper line”, “preservation of editorial independence”, “guarantee of the economic sustainability of the title” et “maintaining current management”. In July, the editorial staff had already ruled out a possible takeover by conservative billionaire Pierre-Edouard Stérin. At the same time, Jean-Martial Lefranc, 62, had made a takeover offer increased to 8.5 million euros, after a first in the spring which had been rejected. CMI France was ready to cover part of the recovery costs, for 3 million, according to Mr. Olivennes.