Journalists du Monde summoned Tuesday in a forum their new shareholder Daniel Kretinsky to "guarantee their independence" by giving them a say on the changes in capital control of the group.
One of the two majority shareholders, Xavier Niel, signed this right Monday. Almost all of the more than 450 journalists in the world now ask the other major shareholder Matthieu Pigasse and "his new partner, Daniel Kretinsky, to co-sign this agreement" before September 17. "This is an opportunity for the latter to join the gesture to speak and demonstrate his 'ambition to support traditional journalism' and that of 'supporting democracy' posted in Paris on September 5", during one of his rare public speeches, say the journalists.
Daniel Kretinsky raises concerns of the newspaper's independence pole
"The signing of the right of approval is a prerequisite for the opening of discussions to know the real intentions of Daniel Kretinsky.This would also be a first sign that the industrialist understands the singularity of the Group Le Monde," they conclude. Daniel Kretinsky entered the capital of the World in October 2018 in favor of an unexpected alliance with Matthieu Pigasse, raising the concern of the independence pole of the newspaper, which brings together employees, journalists and the society of the readers.
This one had obtained from Xaviel Niel and Matthieu Pigasse that they engage on the installation of a "right of approval", which remains since blocked in negotiations. In addition, Daniel Kretinsky and Matthieu Pigasse have been negotiating for months the acquisition of shares in the Spanish group Prisa, which would allow them to go from 26% to 46% in Le Monde Libre (LML), the company that controls 75% of the capital of the daily newspaper. . A move that would break the balance that had prevailed since the recapitalization in 2010 by the trio Niel-Bergé-Pigasse, and which raises concern within the group. Xavier Niel called it "aggression" against the editorial staff of Le Monde and himself.
Daniel Kretinsky invested in several French media last year (magazines Marianne, Elle, Version Femina, Art & Decoration, Télé 7 Jours, France Dimanche, Ici Paris and Public, as well as an entry in the capital of Le Monde), as well as than in energy (his group has just acquired two coal-fired power plants). It has also just put a foot in the big French retail, with a small stake in the capital of Casino.