“Shame!”: Pascal Praud exasperated by his guest, the history lesson turns into an intense confrontation

Pascal Praud failed to keep his calm on the airwaves of Europe 1 in front of a politician. The tone has risen sharply.

© Europe 1 Pascal Praud failed to keep his cool on the airwaves of Europe 1 in front of a politician. The tone rose sharply.

IN BRIEF

• On January 21, 2025, Pascal Praud and Léon Deffontaines debated on Europe 1 about freedom of expression on the social network X.
• Léon Deffontaines criticized platform X for its lack of responsibility, while Pascal Praud expressed his fear of the concepts of good or bad opinions.
• Discover how a debate on freedom of expression degenerated into a historic confrontation between a journalist and a politician.

The tone has risen this Tuesday, January 21, 2025 on the airwaves of Europe 1. Indeed, Pascal Praud was talking by phone with Léon Deffontaines,members of the Communist Party on various subjects, including freedom of expression on the social network X. The politician has indicated that he wants to stay on the old Twitter, even though he believes that European legislation should be tougher on Elon Musk's platform. “On comments inciting racial, anti-Semitic, xenophobic hatred, this is regulated by law. But what I want is for the X platform to be responsible for the content that is present”, indicates the secretary general of the Young Communists.

But here is what Pascal Praud, a journalist on CNews, says: “I hear, but çthis, these are not good or bad opinions, there are statements that fall under the law and others that are legal. The concept of good or bad opinion, me, it scares me”. 

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Pascal Praud cannot calm down in front of L&eacuteon Deffontaines

And that is at that moment that things have gotten worse. Indeed, Louis Deffontaines has returned to the notion of the “great replacement” which is for him a “conspiracy theory”. To which Pascal Praud, very annoyed, replies: “That's your interpretation, “it doesn't fall under any law. […] It's the law, Mr. Deffontaines, it's the law, nothing but the law”. Then the politician got carried away by the accusations of the journalist who indicated that the Communist Party, founded by Stalin, is responsible for 50 million deaths.

“Do you realize what you are saying, Mr. Praud ?”, he asks him. “But what a shame, Mr. Praud! Why don't you remind Mr. Aliot that his party was founded by a Waffen-SS ? I, I have nothing to do with Stalin and I already have éanswered”, continues the young politician. 

“You tell me it's a shame”

The two men then launch into a history lesson that turns sour: “I ask you the question. If you want Behring not to be there, should Stalin's speeches be taken out ? You tell me it's a shame! You have a level of discussion and freedom expression that scares me, Mr. Deffontaines, so keep your insults to yourself”, Pascal Praud says, beside himself.

“It's not a shame the way I ask you questions, and the way you answer me, I don't talk to you like that. I ask you questions. It's very strange, your way of operating”. After this heated exchange, the two men managed to calm down and the interview was able to resume.