“For the sake of consistency, after my resignation from CNews, and despite a strong attachment to Europe 1, I have made the decision to leave,” Mabrouk said. She also terminated her collaborations with the weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) and Fayard publishing house, both of which are part of the Bolloré group. The 49-year-old journalist, who is pregnant with her second child, stated she would now focus on the upcoming birth and the continuation of her professional career outside the group.
Mabrouk’s exit follows her resignation from CNews, France’s leading news channel by audience share, which she announced last week. Her departure from the television channel was a direct response to the management’s decision to retain host Jean-Marc Morandini despite his final criminal convictions. Mabrouk reported a “certain and effective alteration” in her relationship with CNews management after she publicly distanced herself from the decision to keep Morandini on air.
The controversy surrounding Morandini has plunged the Canal+ media group into turmoil. On January 14, the French Court of Cassation upheld Morandini’s conviction for the corruption of minors, related to sexually explicit messages sent to three teenagers between 2009 and 2016. He was sentenced to two years’ suspended imprisonment and permanently banned from any profession involving contact with minors. Additionally, on January 22, Morandini abandoned his appeal against a separate conviction for sexual harassment, making that ruling final. In that case, he was sentenced to 18 months of suspended imprisonment for using pressure to obtain a sexual act from a young actor.
The internal conflict escalated visibly on Monday morning when MEP François-Xavier Bellamy (LR), a guest on the Europe 1 morning show, shouted at Morandini: “Leave, resign!” The incident occurred during a live broadcast simultaneously aired on CNews. Although Morandini hosted his usual program later that day, he announced his withdrawal from the airwaves at midday for an unspecified period, stating he intended to help “restore the calm necessary for the work of the newsroom.”
Mabrouk was the first prominent figure to oppose the retention of Morandini, followed by other star presenters including Pascal Praud, Laurence Ferrari, and Philippe de Villiers. The decision has drawn criticism from various political figures, who have boycotted Morandini’s daily debate program. Internally, the +Libres de Canal+ union demanded in January that Morandini leave without compensation, referencing a 2016 commitment made by the channel’s management when it was known as iTélé.
Politicians and industry observers are closely watching the next legal and parliamentary steps in the case. Vincent Bolloré is scheduled to be summoned at the end of February by a parliamentary commission of inquiry on public broadcasting, where he is expected to be questioned regarding the handling of the Morandini case. Mabrouk’s departure marks a significant shift in the personnel structure of one of France’s most influential media groups during this period of institutional dispute.
