He had been “closeted” by management: Europe 1 ordered to pay 300,000 euros to a former journalist

La cour d'appel de Paris a ordonné à Europe 1, radio dans le giron de Vincent Bolloré, de verser près de 300 000 euros à un ancien journaliste mis de côté en 2021 par la direction (photo d'illustration). MAXPPP – Vincent Isore

The Paris Court of Appeal has ordered Europe 1, a radio station owned by Vincent Bolloré, to pay nearly 300,000 euros to a former journalist who was sidelined in 2021 by management, according to a ruling made public on Thursday, October 4, 2024.

The decision, which concerns journalist Mathieu Charrier, was handed down on September 18, 2024, according to a copy sent to AFP, which confirms information published Thursday evening on the L'informé website.

In the summer of 2021, the journalist and head of the society and culture department, who had applied for a collective termination agreement, had seen part of his duties gradually removed. He had also learned in the press of his eviction from the cinema show “Clap”,indicated his lawyer Camille Janson.

As a result, he was forced to resign "at the employer's fault".

He then brought the matter before the Paris industrial tribunal to request a reclassification as "dismissal without real and serious cause".

"Duty of loyalty of the employer"

After a procedure in which he was initially dismissed, Mr. Charrier won his case on several requests, the radio station being ordered to pay him various compensations for an amount approaching 300,000 euros.

"This is a fine decision, which the Court of Appeal took care to justify and which recalls the employer's obligation of loyalty", declared Mr. Janson.

Europe 1 management declined to comment at this stage.

Conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré's hold on the station had been denounced in 2021, when he was already the majority shareholder.

That year, Europe 1 announced a merger with CNews, leading to a wave of voluntary or forced departures after a historic strike, against a backdrop of fears about the radio station's shift to the right.